Blake Snell had been looking forward to this moment.
This game. This opponent.
Pitching against the Braves at Dodger Stadium instead of a minor league venue offered Snell more than just a chance to strengthen his arm.
“You know right away where you stand,” he noted.
While most teams can’t afford to put players through rehab at the major league level, the Dodgers operate differently. When Shohei Ohtani returned from his second Tommy John surgery, he did so directly at the big league level.
Similarly, when Tyler Glasnow was sidelined with back spasms, the Dodgers invited Snell back to the rotation rather than have him play another minor league game. Snell lightheartedly remarked, “I said yes before they even asked.”
The results were somewhat expected. In his season debut, Snell gave up five runs (four earned) and six hits over three innings during a 7-2 defeat to the Braves.
Yet, what did the Dodgers really lose?
Even after that tough game, the Dodgers hold the top spot in the National League West, just a game ahead of the Padres.
Though Snell was disappointed with the game’s outcome, he found value in the experience. “I learned a lot,” he mentioned.
He reflected on the narrower strike zone compared to last season, or maybe he could have relied more on his fastball.
Like his team, Snell seems to be taking a long-term perspective.
In Los Angeles, the baseball season is often thought to kick off in October.
This outlook influenced how Snell approached his recovery from shoulder issues last season.
At 33, he noted that many of his recent injuries have been “inflammatory,” prompting him to hire a nutritionist and incorporate Pilates into his training routine.
This shift, along with a patient rehab process, helped his fastball reach 98.1 mph on Saturday night, with an average of 95.9 mph.
“I thought the content was good,” said manager Dave Roberts, echoing his satisfaction with Snell’s performance.
Snell struck out five batters and induced 16 swings and misses.
“My body feels good,” he stated confidently.
This new outlook marks a shift from last season when he tried to pitch despite discomfort in his first season of a five-year, $182 million contract. Last year, he landed on the injured list in April and was out for four months.
Although Snell wasn’t at his sharpest against the Braves, the runs he gave up early were largely due to free passes. Most of the hits he allowed weren’t sharply struck, except for a two-run single by Matt Olson on a high slider.
The Dodgers expected him to throw around 75 pitches, but he hit 77 by the end of the third inning.
This felt more like a spring training outing for Snell, given it was his first real game back, but he refused to let that be an excuse.
“I feel good,” he reiterated. “It’s going well. I need to improve quickly, and I’m confident I can do it.”
Of course, “quickly” is a bit relative.
If he were with the Padres, they might need him to ramp up within two weeks. But the Dodgers have a good five months to get everything back on track.
