LOS ANGELES — Blake Snell’s long and winding road during his first spring with the Dodgers has led to an assignment as the starter in the home opener Thursday against the Detroit Tigers.
Manager Dave Roberts announced the decision before Sunday’s Freeway Series game against the Angels, with right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki also starting against the Tigers, in that order.
“Blake chose to be a Dodger for various reasons and for him to start a home opener here at Dodger Stadium, I think it’s just something else that he can add to his already great career,” Roberts said.
Snell, who agreed to join the Dodgers in November on a five-year, $182-million contract, made two Cactus League starts in Arizona, had one appearance in an exhibition game at Japan then pitched in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.
The most recent appearance, inside of an empty stadium, ended up being the one that resonated the most.
“Everything kind of came together in the sim game,” Snell said. “I finally felt like the curveball looked like the fastball (out of hand) and located it way better. The movement I really liked. The changeup’s better than what it was in the start in Tokyo. I knew it was going to be there but just to see it, I was very excited.”
As circuitous as his route was to his first outing of the season, it is far better than it was last season when Snell signed late with the San Francisco Giants, then didn’t make his season debut until April 8. He went on the injured list after three starts with an adductor strain and was 0-3 with a 9.51 ERA into early June before turning around his season.
He expects a smoother transition to a new team this time around.
“I’m beyond excited,” Snell said. “The first two (regular season) games we played, we didn’t have Mookie (Betts) or Freddie (Freeman). The team, we can hit top to bottom. … I’m very excited and can’t wait to feel the atmosphere. I felt it on the other side and really can’t wait to know what it’s like to be a Dodger and be supported by the fans.”
BETTS STILL ON PAUSE
The Dodgers had Mookie Betts in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the Angels, but he was a late scratch as he continues to recover from a stomach virus.
Betts fell ill when the team was still in Arizona, traveled to Japan anyway and returned to Los Angeles before the first pitch of the short series in Tokyo. Before Betts was scratched Sunday as the shortstop and No. 2 hitter, Roberts admitted his star player’s recovery still was ongoing.
“He still hasn’t regained the weight he lost,” Roberts said. “We just feel that he’s recovering and feels stronger than he did.”
Freeman was in the starting lineup and set to make an abbreviated appearance against the Angels after missing the opening two games against the Cubs with a rib cage strain.
“The last couple of days (Freeman) feels really good; he doesn’t feel anything,” Roberts said. “I do think it’s something we’ve got to make sure to monitor, but he wouldn’t be out there if we didn’t feel confident he was on his way back.”
FINAL FIVE
With Snell, Yamamoto and Sasaki pitching in the opening series against the Tigers, the season debut of starters Tyler Glasnow and Dustin May will be moved to the home series against the Atlanta Braves next week.
Glasnow missed the final month and a half of the regular season last year, as well as the World Series title run with elbow tendonitis, while May is returning from Tommy John surgery, as well as a tear in his esophagus.
“Pushing (Glasnow) back just made the most sense,” Roberts said, saying he wanted to get Yamamoto and Sasaki back to the mound without too much time between their starts in Japan.
ALSO …
Shohei Ohtani continues to play catch as he ramps up for a return to the mound this season, with Roberts saying the right-hander will return to bullpen sessions “in the coming days,” after they were halted in advance of the opening series against the Cubs. … Right-hander Evan Phillips (shoulder) pitched to hitters Saturday and will pitch again this week before joining extended spring training at Arizona on Friday. … Right-hander Tony Gonsolin is scheduled to face hitters in Arizona on Monday as he builds himself back up after back injury earlier this month.
UP NEXT: Dodgers (RHP Blake Snell) at Angels (TBD), Angel Stadium, Monday, 6 p.m., SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network, 570 AM, 830 AM