Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell unexpectedly left the game on Wednesday, September 18th, against the Cincinnati Reds after pitching just one scoreless inning.
Snell appeared to be fine as he left the mound following his scoreless performance, but the Dodgers had Blake Treinen warming up in the bullpen, and manager Dave Roberts made the decision to replace the left-hander.
Blake Treinen entered to relieve Snell, and Dodgers reporter Kirsten Watson later confirmed that Snell’s injury was the reason for his early departure.
This situation is particularly concerning for the Dodgers, who rely heavily on their talented rotation, and Snell had been performing exceptionally well prior to this alarming incident.
After returning from the IL following elbow surgery on August 11th, Snell has maintained a 1.04 ERA over 34.2 innings.
During his first inning against the Reds, Snell recorded one strikeout, allowed one hit, and yielded a hard-hit single.
However, several warning signs were evident. His fastball velocity was 1.5 MPH below his season average, his curveball was down 0.7 MPH, his changeup was down 0.3 MPH, and his slider showed the most significant drop, at 2.3 MPH lower, based on Statcast data.
The Dodgers later revealed that Snell was experiencing groin tightness.
What is Blake Snell’s history with groin injuries?
Snell has a lengthy history of groin issues. In 2021, he suffered a left adductor strain that ended his season early in September.
He faced another strain in April 2022, followed by another in April 2024, each leading to absences of three weeks to a month.
Additionally, he had a groin injury in June 2024 due to aggravation, which resulted in a 15-day IL stint.
What does this injury mean for the Dodgers postseason?
With only two weeks left in the season, a significant absence of three to four weeks could sideline him until the NLCS.
For the Dodgers’ sake, here’s hoping it’s a minor issue or merely a precautionary measure.
Los Angeles needs Snell, alongside Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow, to help navigate through the playoffs.
