Dodgers News: Blake Snell Trying To Avoid Repeat Mistake Of Pitching Though Injury

"I think that the next step is for Blake to build up to 120 feet, to 180, to then get on a mound. So when that is, I don't see it in the next week, for sure. So then I think that we'll just kind of see where we go from there."

"I think he's working through it in the sense that, last year, he was on a new team. He pushed through things to start the season healthy, which is understandable, and you learn from it. He was never right all year. I think that this year he's going to make sure that he is ready to go, and once he starts, to start healthy and finish strong."

"And then there's an individual part where I do think that he wants to get another Cy Young, and what that means is you got to be healthy, you got to make starts. And so that's something that personally he's striving for, but at the end of the day, he's got to be healthy, and we're going to do whatever we can to kind of make that happen."

Blake Snell faces a delayed start to the 2026 season because of a shoulder issue from last year that has prevented him from throwing off the mound. Manager Dave Roberts outlined a progression requiring Snell to build throwing distance to 120 feet, then 180 feet, before advancing to mound work, with no timeline expected within the next week. Unlike last season when Snell pushed through discomfort on a new team and subsequently struggled, the Dodgers are prioritizing his full recovery to ensure he starts healthy. Snell balances his desire to pitch in as many games as possible for personal achievements, including pursuing another Cy Young Award, with the necessity of being completely healthy before returning to competition.

Read at Dodger Blue