Dodgers Scratch Pitcher Blake Snell From Start Against Angels

The Dodgers are scratching Blake Snell from his scheduled start Friday night against the Angels because of a yet-to-be-announced physical issue, according to sources. The precise reason for Snell’s unavailability was not immediately clear. One source said it was not related to the shoulder injury that had sidelined him for the first five weeks of the year.

Snell made his season debut last week, throwing three innings in a loss to the Atlanta Braves. Friday was scheduled to be his second start of the campaign. The appearance last week came after he was activated from the injured list sooner than initially expected.

A two-time Cy Young Award winner, Snell signed with the Dodgers on a $182 million contract last offseason. He missed much of the 2025 campaign with a shoulder injury but returned late in the year. He made six playoff appearances with a 3.18 ERA and contributed to the club's World Series title run.

After the World Series, Snell said his shoulder started bothering him again. He went through physical therapy over the winter. The Dodgers slowed his buildup during spring training to avoid the elongated absence he suffered the previous year after pitching through early-season shoulder problems.

Snell spent the first part of this season on the injured list recovering from the shoulder injury. He skipped a planned final minor-league rehab start before joining the rotation last week following another pitcher's back injury. In that start, he recorded five strikeouts over three innings.