Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell exited a game on Wednesday after just one inning due to groin tightness. He threw only 19 pitches in that inning before being replaced by Blake Treinen.
The Dodgers confirmed the reason for his exit was a groin issue, though it was unclear how serious the condition might be, according to Yahoo Sports. According to MLB.com, Snell said after the game that he felt his left groin grab on the second-to-last pitch of his bullpen session before the start. He said he stopped after one inning because continuing could have turned the tightness into another strain. Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers may push back Snell’s next start and will prioritize having him ready for the postseason.
This injury comes at a difficult time for Snell, as he had been pitching well since returning from the injured list on August 11th, according to a report from Sportskeeda. Before Wednesday’s game, he had posted a 1.04 ERA across six starts. Reuters reported that Snell was 4-0 with 46 strikeouts during that six-start stretch.
Snell has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the league recently, especially as the playoffs approach. Snell told reporters that he believes he can be much better and wants to keep improving. Snell explained that his experience in the league has helped him understand hitters and adjust more quickly during games. He emphasized planning ahead and using that preparation to get quick outs and strike out batters effectively.
The Dodgers have already dealt with injuries to key players like Shohei Ohtani in their rotation. They had expected Snell, Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow to be part of the postseason rotation. If Snell is placed on the injured list, the team may need to move Roki Sasaki back into the starting rotation. Ohtani was placed on the injured list on September 11 with right biceps inflammation.
Snell had started the season on the injured list due to left shoulder inflammation, houstonchronicle.com reported. Snell also underwent arthroscopic surgery in May to remove loose bodies from his left elbow before returning on August 11. In his first inning of action this game, he allowed a single and struck out one batter before leaving the field. The inning ended with Sal Stewart being picked off to close it out. He has a history of left groin and adductor injuries and spent time on the injured list with similar problems in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
The Dodgers were in a position to clinch the NL West title on Wednesday. Reuters reported that Los Angeles lost 6-2 to Cincinnati while the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3, so the Dodgers did not clinch the division Wednesday. The Dodgers had already clinched a postseason berth. The club is also trying to secure a top-two seed in the National League and a first-round postseason bye.
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