The 2026 season continues to be problematic for Blake Snell. Katie Woo of The Athletic reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers have scratched the left-hander from his scheduled start against the Los Angeles Angels. Right-handed reliever Will Klein will start in what will be a bullpen game.
This news comes just after Snell had returned to the Dodgers rotation. The left-hander missed the first five weeks of the season with left shoulder fatigue. He returned to action on May 9 and surrendered four runs in three innings in a loss to the Atlanta Braves.
The Dodgers signed Snell to a five-year, $182.5 million contract ahead of the 2025 season. Injuries have limited him to just 12 starts and 64.1 innings.
However, the club is unlikely to regret the contract, even as the left-hander continues to battle injuries. Snell played a critical role in the Dodgers’ second consecutive championship, including a strong relief appearance in Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Dodgers Scratch Blake Snell from Start vs. Angels
It’s yet to be determined what the cause of Snell being scratched from his start is. The Athletic‘s Katie Woo reports that it is not related to the shoulder issue that delayed the start to his season.
The Dodgers will go with a bullpen game, with right-handed reliever Will Klein getting the start. It will be the first time the club uses an opener for a game in 2026, as the club had pretty solid injury luck with the rotation.
During Snell’s stint on the injured list, the Dodgers relied on a rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki, and Justin Wrobleski. All six pitchers have made at least seven starts and totaled at least 33.2 innings in 2026.
Glasnow was just recently placed on the 15-day injured list with back spasms, right as Snell was set to return. If the left-hander requires a second stint, that could stress the Dodgers rotation depth. In that scenario, right-hander River Ryan is the potential call-up candidate. Ryan is starting for the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City.
Blake Snell Scratch Stresses Undermanned Dodgers Bullpen
Obviously, it’s never a good sign for any team to lose a starting pitcher close to game time. But with the way the Dodgers’ pitching staff is constructed, scratching a starter is going to create a seismic impact.
The Dodgers are currently using a six-man rotation, which means they are carrying just seven relievers in their bullpen. That leaves them with just seven relievers to get 27 outs for the game. That’s a problem for the Dodgers front office and run prevention team to map out ahead of the game.
Having one less reliever than other teams will force some tough decisions from the Dodgers. That likely means relievers may have to get more outs than they are comfortable doing, especially the lower-leverage arms like Klein.
It’s entirely possible that Los Angeles could use one of their starters in an emergency. The most likely candidates are right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was likely scheduled for his typical bullpen session between starts. Yamamoto’s next start is scheduled for May 18 against the San Diego Padres.
Dodgers Scratch Two-Time Cy Young Winner from Start vs. Angels