The Los Angeles Dodgers are without the pitching expertise of Blake Snell for the near future as he has found himself on the injured list.
Manager Dave Roberts spoke on finding out about the shoulder discomfort after a bullpen session the two-time Cy Young award winner threw this week.
“He started his bullpen and experienced some soreness,” Roberts said. “We just felt right there, you’re going to miss a start. We can backdate the three days. I don’t know who we’re bringing, but obviously someone will make his start on Tuesday.”
It now is starting to look like an option for the rotational replacement, as much as one can try their best to replace Snell, is Landon Knack. Although nothing is official, he is reportedly with the team in Washington D.C. ahead of the Dodgers' matchup with the Nationals.
As for how long Snell is expected to be out, the skipper provided a little more insight.
“I think (he will miss) two starts,” Roberts said. “If you’re going to go on the IL, certainly where we’re at in the season, two is the floor and we’ll see from there.”
It's hard for fans not to think back to what happened last season and the pitching injuries that plagued the Dodgers' roster.
There are already 12 pitchers on the injured list with the recent Snell news, and the Dodgers are still without Shohei Ohtani on the mound for the near future.
By the time L.A. made it to the Fall Classic last season, there were only three starting pitchers from the rotation to start the season.
The offseason reinforcements like Snell, and other formidable pitchers, were made to have more options than the team did when they were knocking on the door of a championship in 2024.
“One day, you feel good with where you’re at, and then the next day you’re scrambling a little bit,” Roberts said. “That’s part of the marathon of a major-league season.”
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