Though the Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a scorching begin this season, bother could also be brewing.
Jack Harris from the L.A. Occasions reported that pitcher Blake Snell is heading to the injured checklist. Pitcher Matt Sauer has been known as as much as the Dodgers in his place to assist lengthen the bullpen.
In accordance with Harris, Snell had thrown a bullpen session on Sunday morning. Nonetheless, he felt discomfort in his left shoulder after the session, with J.P. Hoornstra from Newsweek reporting that Snell is being shut down resulting from left shoulder irritation.
Snell isn’t any stranger to the injured checklist. This might be his tenth stint on the IL as he has battled by way of a myriad of well being considerations. Nonetheless, Snell has been one of many higher pitchers within the league when he has been on the mound. The 2-time Cy Younger award winner has posted a 3.18 ERA and a 1.224 WHIP in his 1,105.2 profession innings, hanging out 1,372 batters with 503 walks.
Snell’s newest stint on the IL additional assessments the Dodgers pitching depth. He’s the twelfth pitcher to land on the IL to this point, a quantity that doesn’t rely Shohei Ohtani as he works his means again from elbow surgical procedure in 2023. Six of these pitchers made not less than one begin in 2024 because the Dodgers used 17 totally different starters.
The Dodgers discover themselves in a tough spot. Not solely do they should discover starters for Tuesday and Wednesday, however their dealing with of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki put extra of a pressure on their depth. Yamamoto and Sasaki have pitched as soon as per week to duplicate their utilization in Japan because the Dodgers look to maintain them wholesome. Sasaki has additionally pitched into the fourth inning simply as soon as in three begins, furthering the Dodgers pitching considerations.
At this level, Snell’s placement on the injured checklist could also be precautionary. As his stint is retroactive to April 3, he might solely miss one begin. The Dodgers hope that’s the case as their pitching depth is going through yet one more early problem.
