Blake Snell is set to make his highly anticipated Los Angeles Dodgers debut this week when he takes the ball against the Detroit Tigers in the Dodger Stadium opener.
Snell previously noted that it was his goal to start for the Dodgers in their domestic Opening Day game, and is looking forward to that becoming a reality.
“I’m excited. Get to start the season with everyone, just very excited,” he said of the honor. “Opening Day is fun. It’s such a fun time to pitch. I’m very excited, I feel honored and I can’t wait.”
Snell made his final tuneup of the spring in an exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers and believes he is in a good spot ahead of his Opening Day start.
“I feel good,” Snell said. “I had a sim game [Saturday], so it’s not like I have almost two weeks off. I’ll be ready. I feel good and feel like I’ve gotten better every outing.
“Just the confidence that I have and belief in the pitches I’m throwing, they’re all getting to where I want them.”
Snell was pleased with his fastball from the start of Spring Training and has since worked to improve his secondary pitches.
“Everything kind of came together in the sim game,” he began. “I finally felt like the curveball looks like a fastball, I can locate it way better, the movement I really liked. The changeup is better than what it was in the start in Tokyo, which I knew it was going to be, but just to see it, I was really excited.
“Everything is a lot sharper and coming out better, which I expected. So I’m very excited about that.”
Blake Snell hopes to control emotions
Snell enters his Opening Day start with a 1-0 record, 2.03 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in seven career starts at Dodger Stadium. He will be opposed by Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and is hoping to control his emotions on the mound.
“I don’t know how to answer that. I can say one thing, but it’s going to be different when I walk out there,” Snell answered when asked about potential adrenaline from taking the mound in a marquee game.
“I can tell you I won’t be thinking about Skubal at all, or going against him. My only goal would be to just dominate the zone and get us in the dugout so we can hit.
“I would imagine I’ll be excited, a little nervous, and then once I get out there, it goes to I love pitching and I can’t wait to compete.”
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