When Blake Snell took the mound for the Ontario Tower Buzzers on Tuesday night, his main aim was to continue building strength ahead of his return to the Dodgers. But once he began his warm-up pitches, that focus seemed to waver.
During warm-ups, the game’s presentation team surprised him by playing one of his rap tracks. In a posted video, Snell appeared less than thrilled with the choice; shortly after he looked up toward the press area, the music abruptly cut off.
In the game, Snell pitched three innings, allowing only one hit while striking out six batters.
His foray into rap started back in 2012 with a track called “Rising Stars.” At that time, he was seen rapping in a Tampa Bay Rays hat. Snell was picked by the Rays in the 2011 MLB Draft and made his major league debut on April 23, 2016. He quickly established himself as a top pitcher, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2018 with a 21-5 record and a 1.89 ERA, only to be traded to the Padres in 2021, where he clinched the NL Cy Young Award in 2023 with a 14-9 record and a 2.25 ERA.
After a brief period with the Giants, he joined the Dodgers last year and played a key role in leading Los Angeles to back-to-back World Series titles. However, the demands of that long season took a toll on him, resulting in shoulder fatigue that started his year on the disabled list.
So far, Snell has completed two rehab outings in the minors and is slated to pitch four innings against Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday. After that, the team will assess whether he’s ready to return to the big leagues or requires additional time in the minors for further development.
While the timeline for his return remains uncertain, one thing is clear: “Rising Stars” is unlikely to make an appearance at Chavez Ravine.
