The Los Angeles Dodgers changed plans in the wake of Tyler Glasnow’s back injury and now are having Blake Snell make his season debut Saturday instead of another rehab start.
The left-hander initially was scheduled to pitch for Single-A Ontario in what was going to be his fourth rehab outing amid a target of stretching out to four innings.
Snell’s rehab assignment instead came to a close at four runs allowed (three earned), and 10 strikeouts against just two walks in eight innings pitched across three starts. He pitched once for the Tower Buzzers and made a pair of starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
What Blake Snell’s return means for Roki Sasaki
Heading into the weekend, Dodgers pitching probables were Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski. As Snell was working toward his activation, it sparked plenty of debate over what the Dodgers would decide with their six-man rotation. That of course was assuming full health.
Manager Dave Roberts previously declined to predict how it would all unfold, but now with Snell back, there’s some clarity. Overall, he easily slots into the rotation because of Glasnow’s injury.
In terms of the weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, the Dodgers are electing to keep Wrobleski lined up for the series finale. Roberts said Sasaki in turn will likely start Monday in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants.
Roberts said an MRI of Glasnow’s did not reveal anything “really significant” but he nevertheless was put on the 15-day injured list.
Snell’s return seemingly gives the Dodgers insurance now that Glasnow is going to miss some time. There also is the benefit of having Sasaki avoid the Braves, who enter the series tied with the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs for the best record in baseball.
There have been some encouraging signs with the young righty but Sasaki’s outings nevertheless are susceptible to volatility. The Dodgers nevertheless have maintained Sasaki is going to remain part of the starting rotation.
As for Snell, his 2026 season debut coincidentally is going to come on his bobblehead giveaway at Dodger Stadium. It’s also ahead of the initial estimate of a late-May return from left shoulder fatigue that had him start the season on the injured list.
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