Blake Snell is set to get back on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants, a timely return after he tweaked his groin last week.
Snell had felt tightness in the groin before his most recent start against the Cincinnati Reds, then tried to work through it. That outing ended quickly. He made it through only one inning before leaving the game and giving way to Blake Treinen.
That brief exit sparked concern about whether Snell would be available for the postseason, especially with his history of similar injuries in 2021, 2022 and 2024. His return, though, points toward him being part of the Dodgers’ October plans.
The season has been a stop-and-start one for Snell, but the results have still been strong when he’s been on the mound. He has made eight appearances for Los Angeles, covering 38.2 innings with 52 strikeouts and a 1.86 ERA.
His year didn’t begin until May after he spent the opening stretch on the injured list with shoulder fatigue. Then, after allowing five runs in three innings while dealing with loose bodies in his elbow, he landed back on the injured list again.
When he rejoined the rotation in August, Snell looked sharp right away. Over four starts after coming off the injured list, he gave up just three earned runs, struck out 31 batters and logged 23 innings.
September has been even better. In 12.2 innings this month, he has allowed only one earned run while striking out 16.
Come October, Snell is expected to be part of the Dodgers’ rotation as a starter, likely alongside Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal.
That role would continue what he already showed last postseason, when he posted a 3.18 ERA across 34 innings and played an important part in the Dodgers’ World Series run.
For now, the focus is on finishing the regular season healthy. Snell’s final start before October is scheduled for Saturday, while the Dodgers still have a three-game series against the San Diego Padres as they work to lock up the No. 2 seed in the NL.
That series opens Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. PT.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Got An October Boost Fans Have Been Waiting For
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Los Angeles also had to make room on the roster by sending two players back down, another reminder of how quickly the picture can change at this time of year. Beyond the immediate playoff implications, there is already some offseason intrigue swirling around the Dodgers, with ESPNs Jeff Passan reporting that pitcher Tarik Skubal could be in line for a massive free-agent deal this winter, a detail that will only add to the teams long-term planning conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Fans Just Got A New Reason To Watch Tarik Skubal
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For Los Angeles, Skubals appearance comes at an interesting moment. He was recently placed on the Dodgers bereavement list and is currently expected to start the final regular-season game, though that could still change. Even with the season winding down, the Dodgers are keeping an eye on anything that might affect the rotation, and a night out around the NFL only added another layer to the intrigue around Skubals week. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Letting Ryan Ward Go Took An Unexpected Turn
Ryan Wards exit from the Dodgers organization moved quickly. Just six days after being designated for assignment, he agreed to a contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball, ending a run that had kept him in the Dodgers system for his entire professional career. It was a familiar kind of roster churn for this time of year, but the destination made the move stand out.
For the Dodgers, Wards recent minor league production had already made his standing uncertain, and the roster rules created an unusual layer to his departure. He was only eligible to play for the Dodgers in the 2026 postseason, which meant Los Angeles still had some control over his future in a narrow sense, even as the organization opened the door for him to continue his career abroad. [Read more 🡒]