Just before kicking off the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels, the Los Angeles Dodgers have experienced a hiccup.
With just a few hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers kickoff rivalry weekend against the Los Angeles Angels, the Dodgers have run into a speed bump.
Scheduled starter Blake Snell, who would have been making his second start of 2026 on Friday night, is scratched from his start, per reports of Katie Woo of The Athletic.
The Dodgers later announced that they have placed Snell on the injured list with loose bodies in his left elbow.
This is an injury that Snell had dealt with before, as he had surgery back in 2019 to remove loose bodies on the same elbow.
He was absent from mid-July to September of that year.
Prior to the announcement, Jack Harris of The California Post reported that it most likely has nothing to do with his shoulder, but rather "another physical issue."
He began his 2026 campaign on the Injured list as he focused on reaching 100 percent before making his season debut. Snell is most recently coming off the IL after making a handful of rehab starts ranging from Single-A Ontario to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
His return came at a crossroads as Tyler Glasnow landed on the Injured List with lower back spasms. That inserted Snell perfectly to make his debut.
In his season debut on May 9 against the Atlanta Braves, the two-time Cy Young Award winner tossed three innings and gave up four earned runs.
Speaking to the media following his debut, Snell was adamant that he was prepared to move forward. "There’s no excuse. I feel good. The stuff’s good. So I just got to become a better pitcher and do that quickly. I have a lot of confidence I’ll do that," Snell said.
For their series opener on Friday, the Dodgers will go with right-hander Will Klein as their opener. In terms of the rest of the bullpen availability, the Dodgers have plenty of options.
Per the Dodgers bullpen availability report, Klein and Wyatt Mills are the two most rested righties. Blake Treinen could take on some innings if need be. But, more than likely, the Dodgers will want to use a maximum of three pitchers.
The lefties in the bullpen are more taxed than the right-handers, but Jack Dreyer could be a viable option for an appearance.
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