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Dodgers Choose Replacement After Blake Snell Injury Setback

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sam Bernardi | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 9:50 AM ET

In the wake of Blake Snell’s left shoulder inflammation, the Los Angeles Dodgers have placed their pricey free agent starting pitcher on the 15-day injured list.

According to Noah Camras of Dodgers Nation, the Dodgers have recalled Matt Sauer from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Sauer, a 6-foot-4 right-hander and second-round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 2017, joined Oklahoma City in 2025 after spending last season on the Kansas City Royals MLB team and the Yankees’ farm.

He has only made one start this season, and went three innings, allowing one earned run on two hits, zero walks, and two strikeouts. It is unlikely that Sauer will make any starts, particularly given Los Angeles’s bevy of talented pitching prospects.

The most probable outcome is that he stays in the bullpen until Snell’s scheduled start on Tuesday for someone like Bobby Miller or Landon Knack.

Miller has already familiarized himself with the Dodgers fanbase, going 11-4 with a 3.76 ERA and a 3.51 FIP over 124 and 1/3 innings in his rookie debut in 2023. However, 2024 was a disaster, as a shoulder injury sidelined Miller for two months and he struggled upon his return, recording an 8.52 ERA and a 6.97 FIP over 56 innings.

Knack, a rookie in 2024, made 12 starts and had a 3.65 ERA, has shown his good stuff and ability to eat innings, whether now or sometime this summer.

Another potential option is the team’s 11th-ranked prospect, Justin Wrobleski. The 24-year-old made his Major League debut last season, and feels the least qualified to make a potential start for Los Angeles, but is still a valuable piece of this illustrious farm system.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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