LOS ANGELES — One more time.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Thursday that Blake Snell, the front office and pitching coach Mark Prior would “huddle up” to discuss whether Snell needs to make one more start in the minor leagues to complete his rehab from May surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow or if he might make his next start with the Dodgers.
The decision is for Snell to make one more rehab start next Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Salt Lake City.
Snell threw 60 pitches in four scoreless innings for Class-A Ontario on Wednesday night. The goal will be to add to that with OKC, targeting five innings and 75 pitches.
“The buildup of five … I’m not going to argue it. I did last time and I got hurt,” said Snell, who started this season on a rehab assignment for his shoulder, came back early with a need in the Dodgers’ starting rotation then went back on the IL after just one start. “So, yeah, I’m going to shut up.”
This will be Snell’s fourth rehab start this time around. He said he got immediate relief from the surgery – and not just in his elbow.
“My shoulder pain completely went away. I really feel the chips were what was (causing it),” said Snell, who pitched with shoulder discomfort for two seasons. “I couldn’t feel these fingers (ring and pinkie on his left hand). They were kind of numb (for about a year and a half) but I don’t need them so I didn’t really care.
“Once they (the loose bodies) came out, I was like, ‘Wow, I can feel my fingers.’ … I was just, ‘It’s probably nerve damage from throwing. Whatever.’ And this (taps shoulder) was never getting better. We were doing everything. I was, ‘I don’t get this.’
“They took that out and I could feel my fingers, my shoulder pain went completely away.”
Snell said his fastball velocity was 95 to 97 mph in the outing for Ontario and his mechanics are “way better.” Only his curveball needs work, he said.
“I’m 10 times better,” he said. “I just have to get the curveball going.”
STEWART DOWN
Reliever Brock Stewart went on the injured list on Friday with a sore shoulder and will undergo “imaging” on Saturday. Stewart has a history of shoulder issues, including surgery last fall to shave down a bone spur, remove the bursa and part of his clavicle.
But Roberts said this issue is “a new finding” and not as significant as last fall’s problem. This “should be short term,” Roberts said.
“This is something that we are being proactive on and really tried to talk through it with Brock and understanding our thought behind it, with the bullpen day (Friday night), just the coverage and not trying to put him or anyone else in harm’s way,” Roberts said.
Left-hander Cole Irvin was promoted for that bullpen game. The former Servite High standout was 9-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 20 starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City and would be seeing his first major-league action since September 2024 with the Minnesota Twins.
This is Stewart’s third trip to the IL this season. He opened the season there, recovering from last year’s shoulder surgery. He went back on the IL after just two appearances with bone spurs in his left foot. Overall, he has a 2.45 ERA in 14 appearances this season.
SWING AWAY
Will Smith’s recovery from an inflamed disc in his neck is taking a significant step forward this weekend. The catcher has been cleared “to start his hitting progression,” Roberts confirmed.
That is likely to mean hitting off a tee or flips from a coach, progressing to soft toss and then full-speed batting practice.
“I’m not sure,” Roberts said when asked how long that progression might take. “This is something that’s uncharted territory, for him certainly. We’re sort of back at Square One. I just don’t know how long that ramp up will take.
“Just every marker – if he feels good, we keep advancing. There’s obviously going to be a rehab assignment behind it. I just don’t know. But very confident that it’s going to happen given that he’s pain-free and he’s doing some things now.”
Smith has been sidelined since June 5 and is currently on the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
Red Sox (LHP Peyton Tolle, 6-6, 3.32 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 11-6, 2.72 ERA), Saturday, 6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM