Including Monday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers will have used Blake Snell as their starting pitcher in two of four postseason games played thus far.
Snell opened the Dodgers’ playoff run with a dominant performance against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. Because of a quirk in MLB’s postseason schedule this year, the Dodgers are in position to hand Snell the ball again in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
This time he’ll take the mound with the Dodgers already holding a series lead over the Philadelphia Phillies and pitching in front of a hostile environment that has a particularly strong reputation in October.
“I’ve done it before, but this place is special,” Snell said of staring at Citizens Bank Park. “The fans show up, they’re passionate, they have energy. I can’t wait to pitch here. Getting ready, there’s not like really anything you can do to prepare for it.
“As it’s happening, just focus, breathe and enjoy the moment.”
On top of having previously faced the Phillies on the road, Snell intends to lean on some of his personal scouting done while watching Game 1 from the dugout.
“Just watching the lineup, watching aggressiveness on pitches, what they’re swinging at, taking,” he explained. “Just learning. Can’t give much away, but, yes, just learning.”
Blake Snell’s career at Citizens Bank Park
Snell is a 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in three career starts at the Phillies’ home ballpark. He started there once each during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. The loss came in 2022, which was the only start Snell gave up a run — when the Phillies scored three — in any of his outings at Citizens Bank Park.
However, when the San Diego Padres played the Phillies in the 2022 NLDS, Snell’s start in Game 2 was at Petco Park.
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