The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed left-handed pitcher Blake Snell on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder, prompting the recall of right-handed pitcher Matt Sauer. While the Dodgers are no strangers to pitching injuries, this development, affecting a two-time Cy Young Award winner and a significant $182 million offseason addition, represents a notable setback to the momentum of the defending champions, who currently hold a 9-1 record.
This news, coming shortly after Freddie Freeman also landed on the injured list, raises further questions about the true depth and resilience of the Dodgers’ roster. The immediate concern shifts to who will step into the rotation to fill Snell’s absence. Fortunately for Los Angeles, they possess several capable options to take the mound, at least for Snell’s scheduled start on Tuesday.
Pitching Options For Los Angeles Dodgers While Blake Snell Recovers From Shoulder Injury
One potential replacement is fellow left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who last pitched for Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 1st, delivering 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing only three hits. Throughout his time in Double-A and Triple-A last season, the 24-year-old Wrobleski pitched 95.2 innings with a 3.76 ERA across 20 appearances, 18 of which were starts. His impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 104 strikeouts to just 31 walks suggests he has the potential to help mitigate the loss of Snell.
Another left-handed option from Triple-A is Landon Knack, who pitched more recently on April 3rd, throwing 4.2 innings in relief. In that outing, the 27-year-old recorded five strikeouts while allowing two walks and two runs. The Dodgers could also consider right-hander Bobby Miller; however, with his next start scheduled for Sunday, he would not be available until the following weekend. Miller had a challenging 2024 season but showed promise in his first start this year, pitching 4.2 shutout innings on March 30th.
Alternatively, the Dodgers might opt for a bullpen game to cover what would have been Snell’s first scheduled start on Tuesday. Looking ahead, right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin could potentially be ready to rejoin the rotation by next week, offering another solution to fill the void left by Snell.
Losing a pitcher of Snell’s caliber will undoubtedly impact not only the team’s pitching output but also some of the excitement generated by their strong early-season performance. However, the emergence of young pitchers like Wrobleski and Knack in Triple-A has prepared them for an opportunity such as this, and they will now have the chance to showcase their abilities on a much larger stage.