TODAY: Snell is expected to undergo surgery, sources tell Maddie Lee. One source estimates that Snell could be able to return in late July or early August, although this speculation is still very fluid.
MAY 15: Dodgers pitching left-handed Blake Snell back on the injured list, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. On the left Charlie Barnes is remembered for the same walk, according to Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times. Snell, whose deposition is set for May 12, reportedly has “loose bodies” in his pitching elbow.
Snell was recently activated from the injured list on May 9, so this unfortunately makes for a quick return. He missed the first month of the season with left shoulder fatigue. Snell then made two starts at Single-A and one final start at Triple-A, where he went four innings. The Dodgers surprisingly worked Snell despite previously wanting him to extend his rehab stint by five innings. In the end, Snell made just one start in the Majors before returning to the injured list, and it didn’t go particularly well, with Snell allowing five runs (four earned) in three 9 innings against the Braves.
According to manager Dave Roberts, Snell felt something “in the back” of his left elbow during yesterday’s catch game (link via Ardaya). That led to the discovery of loose bodies. Ardaya added that there is no set plan at this time as to whether Snell will need surgery. Notably, Snell underwent arthroscopic surgery in July 2019 to remove loose tissue from the same elbow, and ended up missing six weeks. While this new injury isn’t going to add to Snell’s shoulder issues, the talk of loose bodies in the elbow is just as troubling. An exact timeline will hopefully be known in the next few days, but the expectation is that Snell will return before the end of the season, according to MLB.com’s Alden González and others.
Losing Snell is a major blow to the Dodgers’ rotation. Tyler Glasnow He went on the injured list last week with lower back pain. The team used a six-person rotation to protect the health of the starters, especially Shohei Ohtaniwho is aiming for a full season as a shortstop and shortstop for the first time since 2023. With Glasnow and Snell both out of the picture, rounding out the five-man team included Yoshinobu YamamotoOthani, Emmett Sheehan, Justin Wrobleskiagain Roki Sasaki. Sasaki has a 5.88 ERA through 33 2/3 innings and is a clear weak spot in the rotation. He could be demoted if Snell replaces Glasnow, but with both injured, Sasaki’s spot seems safe for now.
The Dodgers have several options to replace Snell, but each comes with risks. Ryan River was recently promoted to Triple-A after missing a month with a hamstring injury. He’s still only “likely” to eventually join the big league rotation, according to Roberts (via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register ). Left hand Jackson Ferris is the team’s No. 8 prospect according to MLB.com. He only made six starts in Triple-A with a 7.43 ERA, so he will be overexposed in the Majors. Among the non-prospects, Barnes could be a fallback option. FanGraphs has him as the long man in the Dodgers’ bullpen at the moment, but Barnes has been a starter for nearly his entire MLB career and in the Korea Baseball Organization. He could take a few turns as a shortstop, which would keep the Dodgers’ six-man rotation intact.
Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images
