Dodgers Pitcher Blake Snell Makes Season Debut in Loss

Blake Snell returned to pitch for the team at the major league level on Saturday night rather than continue rehabilitation at a minor league affiliate. Although the team lost 7-2, Snell’s appearance provided information on his readiness after time on the injured list with shoulder discomfort.

Snell allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over three innings. He recorded five strikeouts and generated 16 swings and misses while throwing 77 pitches, close to the planned limit of around 75. His fastball reached a maximum of 98.1 mph and averaged 95.9 mph.

“It’s going to let you know where you’re at pretty quickly,” Snell said. He added that the experience allowed him to learn that the strike zone might be smaller than in the previous season and that he should use his fastball more. The pitcher described many of his recent injuries as inflammation-based.

In response, the 33-year-old hired a nutritionist, incorporated pilates into his training and followed a deliberate rehabilitation schedule. He said he feels good physically and has confidence he can improve quickly.

The manager said he thought Snell’s stuff was good. This marked a change from the previous season when Snell pitched through discomfort in the first year of a five-year, $182-million contract and landed on the injured list in April, missing four months.

The team has sufficient pitching depth to allow a gradual return without rushing Snell. When another starter was placed on the injured list with back spasms, Snell was offered the chance to rejoin the rotation immediately. “I said yes before they even asked,” Snell joked.

The organization previously followed a similar major-league-only rehabilitation approach with another pitcher recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. Snell declined to treat the outing as equivalent to a spring-training game despite the early stage of his ramp-up.

The team remained in first place in its division after the game, one game ahead of its closest competitor. Snell and the club can take a long view toward improvement, with the understanding that performance in October holds particular importance. “I feel good.

Stuff’s good. I just gotta become a better pitcher, and do that quickly. I have a lot of confidence I can do that,” Snell said. The pitcher indicated he would not need to accelerate his timeline as aggressively as he might on a team with fewer pitching options.