With just a few hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers kickoff rivalry weekend against the Los Angeles Angels, the Dodgers have ran into a speed bump.
Scheduled starter Blake Snell — who would have been making his second start of 2026 on Friday night — is scratched from his start, per reports of Katie Woo of The Athletic.
Advertisement
There is still no reported word on why Snell was scratched from his start.
Jack Harris of The California Post reported that it most likley has nothing to do with his shoulder, but rather “another physical issue.”
Previously, Snell had been dealing with left shoulder inflammation dating back to last years World Series run.
He began his 2026 campaign on the injured list as he focused on reaching 100 percent before making his season debut.
Snell is most recently coming off the injured list after making a handful of rehab starts ranging from Single-A Ontario to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
His return came at a crossroads, as Tyler Glasnow landed on the injured list with lower back spasms. That inserted Snell perfectly to make his debut.
Advertisement
In his season debut on May 9 against the Atlanta Braves, the two-time Cy-Young Award winner tossed three innings and gave up four earned runs.
Speaking to the media following his debut, Snell was adament that he was prepared to move forward.
There’s no excuse. I feel good. The stuff’s good. So I just got to become a better pitcher and do that quickly. I have a lot of confidence I’ll do that,” Snell said.
Still with no official word yet, what does that mean for the Dodger spitching plans moving forward?
For their series opener on Friday, the Dodgers will go with right-hander Will Klein as their opener.
Advertisement
In terms of the rest of the bullpen availability, the Dodgers have plenty of options.
Per the Dodgers bullpen availability report, Klein and Wyatt Mills are the two most rested righties.
Blake Treinen could take on some innings if need be, but more than likely, the Dodgers will want to use a maximum of three pitchers.
The lefties in the bullpen are more taxed than the right-handers, but Jack Dreyer could be a vaible option for an appearance.
Don’t miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It’s completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Advertisement
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!