Although the Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a hot start this season, trouble may be brewing.
Jack Harris from the L.A. Times reported that pitcher Blake Snell is heading to the injured list. Pitcher Matt Sauer has been called up to the Dodgers in his place to help lengthen the bullpen.
According to Harris, Snell had thrown a bullpen session on Sunday morning. However, he felt discomfort in his left shoulder after the session, with J.P. Hoornstra from Newsweek reporting that Snell is being shut down due to left shoulder inflammation.
Snell is no stranger to the injured list. This will be his tenth stint on the IL as he has battled through a myriad of health concerns. However, Snell has been one of the better pitchers in the league when he has been on the mound. The two-time Cy Young award winner has posted a 3.18 ERA and a 1.224 WHIP in his 1,105.2 career innings, striking out 1,372 batters with 503 walks.
Snell’s latest stint on the IL further tests the Dodgers pitching depth. He is the 12th pitcher to land on the IL thus far, a number that does not count Shohei Ohtani as he works his way back from elbow surgery in 2023. Six of those pitchers made at least one start in 2024 as the Dodgers used 17 different starters.
The Dodgers find themselves in a difficult spot. Not only do they need to find starters for Tuesday and Wednesday, but their handling of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki put more of a strain on their depth. Yamamoto and Sasaki have pitched once per week to replicate their usage in Japan as the Dodgers look to keep them healthy. Sasaki has also pitched into the fourth inning just once in three starts, furthering the Dodgers pitching concerns.
At this point, Snell’s placement on the injured list may be precautionary. As his stint is retroactive to April 3, he may only miss one start. The Dodgers hope that is the case as their pitching depth is facing yet another early challenge.
