Blake Snell has gotten plenty familiar with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the past two seasons, but his start Friday in the National League Division Series is the first time facing them in the postseason since the fateful Game 6 of the 2020 World Series.
At the time a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, Snell was removed after allowing a one-out single to Austin Barnes in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rays manager Kevin Cash faced criticism in live time, and that increased as the Dodgers rallied en route to winning Game 6 and the World Series.
“I knew that question was coming,” answered Snell when asked about that start while speaking with reporters during the off day. “That was inevitable. Yeah, it was one of my best starts. Yeah, I’ll keep it at that.”
When pressed further to reflect on facing the Dodgers in the World Series and now the 2022 team compares to that lineup, Snell said, “I’ve got to flip that page, read a different book, learn, get better.
“I watch it, but it’s a different team. They’ve got Freddie Freeman, they’ve got Trea (Turner). It’s just a whole different team two years ago. It’s a different team. They’re a lot better, I think. They’ve gotten pieces that have made them a lot stronger hitting-wise.
“I can’t wait. I’m excited for the matchup. It’s something that I’m really looking forward to. I really like facing these guys because I know how good they are.”
Since being traded to the Padres, Snell is 1-0 with a 2.63 over eight starts against the Dodgers. However, he has pitched more than five innings in just two of those outings.
When the left-hander last faced L.A. in September, he held them scoreless and collected six strikeouts over five innings.
Blake Snell: Dodgers improved from 2020 World Series
In a sentiment most would agree with, Snell believes the current Dodgers lineup and roster as a whole is improved on the group he saw in the 2020 World Series.
“I think they’re just so talented, and they understand the strike zone. It’s like a whole team,” he said. “They usually have pretty solid game plans as a team on what they’re doing.
“They let their top three or four hitters kind of do what they do, and the bottom, they want to milk pitches. They want to get your pitch count up and get you out. Their top guys, if they get going, that’s when they get dangerous and they start getting louder.
“That’s kind of what gets them going. Or if you let the bottom of the lineup flip to the top and you start making mistakes, they start hitting them.
“But if you stay in control and you focus on the things you need to focus on to make sure that you’re executing your pitches, then you’re just as scary as they are.
“I think it’s good on their end because that’s what makes them so good, but understanding what makes them good can also make you a lot better, too.”
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