The Los Angeles Dodgers are likely to be without Blake Snell to start the 2026 season due to limited activity in camp that has pushed his buildup behind schedule.
Snell is dealing with a shoulder issue that dates back to last season, and he has not yet thrown off the mound because of it.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts does not anticipate that changing anytime soon, as the left-hander must complete a checklist before both parties feel comfortable progressing to mound work.
“I think that the next step is for Blake to build up to 120 feet, to 180, to then get on a mound,” Roberts said. “So when that is, I don’t see it in the next week, for sure. So then I think that we’ll just kind of see where we go from there.”
Unlike last season, Snell is not pushing through discomfort to get back on the mound as soon as possible. Avoiding the scenario from last season, in which he missed a large chunk of the season, was top of mind.
“I think he’s working through it in the sense that, last year, he was on a new team. He pushed through things to start the season healthy, which is understandable, and you learn from it,” Roberts said.
“He was never right all year. I think that this year he’s going to make sure that he is ready to go, and once he starts, to start healthy and finish strong. And so I do think that he feels comfort in knowing that we need him, we count on him, we believe in him.”
But it’s also a balancing act. The 33-year-old also wants to pitch in as many games as possible for individual achievements and to help the team win, while also being smart about his recovery.
“And then there’s an individual part where I do think that he wants to get another Cy Young, and what that means is you got to be healthy, you got to make starts,” Roberts said.
“And so that’s something that personally he’s striving for, but at the end of the day, he’s got to be healthy, and we’re going to do whatever we can to kind of make that happen.”
Blake Snell not likely to pitch in Cactus League
Roberts doesn’t believe Snell will pitch in a Cactus League game this year. He did not completely rule it out, but there would have to be a drastic change in the southpaw’s current trajectory before the Dodgers’ skipper could give an informed answer.
“I don’t know if that could change. And all I know is, once guys get on the mound and start throwing bullpens and throwing to hitters, then it kind of is more on my radar, so I don’t know that right now,” he said.
Given that Roberts predicted Snell’s first time throwing off a mound would come after the end of camp, it is all but certain that he will not make a Cactus League appearance.
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