With just one start into his 2026 campaign, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Blake Snell has landed back on the IL with loose bodies in his left elbow. This is a similar issue that sidelined their star closer, Edwin Diaz, earlier in the season. The Puerto Rican underwent surgery to remove them and now targets a return after the All-Star break.
Snell was set to start the series opener against the Angels on Friday night but was taken out of the rotation. Instead, reliever Will Klein started, and LHP Charlie Barnes was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill Snell’s spot on the active roster. In his only start earlier this season last Saturday, Snell, who appeared rusty, allowed five runs on six hits, with two walks, five strikeouts, and ended up with the loss.
Since the official announcement that Snell had returned to IL surfaced on social media, Dodgers fans have been fuming, criticizing the two-time Cy Young winner as weak and inefficient, with severely hampered playing time since signing with the ballclub in November 2024.
“We got to start talking more of about this clown absolutely made of glass and seems to care more about streaming thank god he’s not on my ballclub also annoying personality,” one fan commented.
“Just ridiculous he should have continued his rehab assignment instead decided he was ready and is back on the injured list,” another fan commented.
“I find it curious he didn’t have an issue during the rehab process, but last Saturday gets lit up by the Braves, and hours before he is scheduled to face the Angels, lands back on the injured list,” yet another fan commented.
Some fans questioned the team’s choice to rush Snell back, only for him to land on the IL again. They criticized the team’s hasty decision-making throughout this situation.
“Activated and rushed him back vs ATL to get injured again, starting to question if the Dodgers know what they are doing,” one fan commented.
“The Dodgers are ruining baseball. They are creating load management, the very thing that has hurt the association,” another fan commented.
“All of a sudden everyone has loose bodies??? Why even activate Snell if he was t ready?” yet another fan commented.
Dodgers Manager Claimed No Definitive Decision Has Been Taken With Blake Snell’s Latest Injury
The question now is whether Snell will undergo surgery to fix the loose bodies in his pitching elbow, and Manager Dave Roberts faces a similar dilemma since the team doctors have not yet reached a definitive decision on the matter.
“We’re still talking through what’s next. I think at the end of the day, we feel confident that he’s going to be back with us this year. Either path. But right now, no definitive decision has been made,” Roberts told the media.
Furthermore, Roberts reflected on how they navigated similar situations in the past two successful seasons and remained optimistic about finding their way out of this challenge once again.
“It seems like every year we go through it. What I have learned is that we get through it. It doesn’t feel great when you’re in it. … In baseball, it happens all the time with pitching,” Roberts said.
Snell faced a similar challenge earlier in his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, when he underwent surgery in July 2019 to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow and returned to the big leagues roughly two months later.
His prior experience and understanding of the recovery process might influence the Dodgers’ choice on how to move forward this season.
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