The Los Angeles Dodgers bolstered their starting rotation by signing Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract last offseason.
The left-hander missed the majority of his first season with the Dodgers due to left shoulder inflammation, but has looked every bit the part of a two-time Cy Young Award winner since returning in early August.
Snell finished the year on a strong note and has since elevated his game to another level in the postseason. He has allowed just two runs on six hits with 28 strikeouts against five walks in 21 innings pitched across three starts.
Snell is now set to pitch in his second World Series and first since 2020, which coincidentally came against the Dodgers.
Getting back to the Fall Classic — and ultimately being on the winning team — was a huge priority for Snell when he decided to join L.A. in free agency.
“It was clear as day,” Snell recalled of his talks with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. “I remember saying, ‘Freddie, Mookie, Shohei in that lineup. I can’t wait to pitch.’ That’s really the start of it.
“But just seeing what they’re able to do and wanting to be a part of it and knowing how important postseason is to them, that’s just something I wanted to be a part of. Even playing against them, watching, it was just always in the back of my mind, like, I wanted to be a Dodger and play on that team.
“To be here now it’s a dream come true. I couldn’t wish for anything more. I’m just going to do the best I can to help us win a World Series.”
Snell made one start each in the Wild Card round, National League Division Series and Championship Series. The Dodgers haven’t yet announced the order of their starting rotation for the World Series, but the 32-year-old figures to pitch in one of the first two games.
Blake Snell emrbaces postseason pressure
Snell is a good example of a player who can bounce back from a disappointing regular season — whether it be due to injury or performance — and make a mark in the playoffs.
“It’s every situation’s a pressure situation,” Snell began. “The deeper you go into the postseason, the more that doubt will creep in, or he was good against this team but like there’s always going to be someone to say, ‘Oh, there’s always a way to find a flaw in something.’ And it will be said.
“Postseason, if you dominate and you do great, no one can say anything. And that’s probably the best feeling is you get to prove yourself right, or you get to go out there and you fail. But at least you get to learn and grow and see who you are and how do you get better from it.”
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