With the Los Angeles Dodgers struggling their way through the season, an injury update on Blake Snell has been provided. David Samson discussed Snell on the latest edition of Nothing Personal, ending his video with a bold claim about the pitcher’s future.
“Blake Snell will not be back before the All-Star Break”
Snell originally went on the 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation. It was during a bullpen session that he noticed the soreness, and a later MRI revealed his fate. Los Angeles did not expect Snell to be out for that long, but Samson clearly predicts that he could be moved to the 60-Day IL and not return until the second half of the season.
Samson critiques the update provided that Snell “didn’t feel great,” saying that’s not an update that’s required, as it provides no new information. It also didn’t come from a live batting practice or even a session in front of the media; it was a simple throw-and-catch.
Dodgers’ manager, Dave Roberts, made it clear to Snell, “If there’s any type of discomfort, let’s not try to fight through it.” An update was given on Friday as a new MRI revealed “no new findings”. That said, Snell will receive an injection to help treat the inflammation.
While Samson thought that the “didn’t feel great” update wasn’t necessary, he wondered if it was used as a message to other teams, or even his own: “Is the strategy to get teams to trade you more pitchers, or is the strategy to get your current pitchers more prepared as they’re going to be in the rotation for longer than expected?”
Now holding a 16-10 record, Los Angeles is going to need Blake Snell at some point in time. At 32 years old, he still has some left in the tank and is a much-needed addition to the Dodgers’ starting rotation. Samson notes, “The Dodgers are one of the surprises in baseball, to the downside,” later adding, “Many teams would love a 16-9 start, but to the Dodgers, it doesn’t feel like they’re the dominant team that was expected.”
One of the big factors that goes into Dave Roberts’ decision is the postseason. For the Dodgers, it’s not a question of whether they’ll be in or not; it’s a question of who they’ll be playing. Missing the playoffs is not an option for Los Angeles, especially coming off a World Series-winning season.
The Dodgers as a team have dealt with a ton of injuries at this point in the season, as have many teams throughout the league. Samson noted that the team should’ve expected some of these recurring injuries with guys due to their past or age, but he thinks it threw the team off, as some of the injuries have taken place much earlier into the season than expected.