Blake Snell spent part of Tuesday’s workout at Dodger Stadium discussing the work he has completed since his difficult start against the Atlanta Braves.

Much of that process involved addressing the thoughts running through his mind and rediscovering the mentality that allows him to pitch at his best.

Snell will start Game 3 Wednesday with the Los Angeles Dodgers trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 in the National League Championship Series. He views the home game as an opportunity to change the direction of the series.

Snell emphasized the importance of momentum. He believes one home victory could shift the series and create new possibilities, pointing to what happened when Los Angeles faced the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Dodgers must get started, and Snell is confident they will be fine once they do.

“A big thing is momentum,” Snell said via the Bleed Los Podcast.

“Once you shift it, especially at home, anything can happen. We saw what happened when we played Toronto. We just got to get it going. I think once we do that, we’ll be fine.”

His preparation since his previous outing has centered on returning to the mindset that brings out his best performance.

Snell has spent considerable time talking to himself, evaluating where he currently stands and determining where he needs to be mentally.

He has also watched Milwaukee’s first two games of the series while building a plan for Wednesday. Snell studied what the Brewers have done well and searched for weaknesses he could expose.

“Just a lot of time talking to myself, just figuring out where I need to get to, where I’m at,” Snell explained.

“And then watching two games against Milwaukee, just kind of game planning, seeing what I can expose, what they’re doing really well. Just trying to figure them out.”

When asked what gives him confidence entering the start, Snell pointed to his physical condition and the internal conversations that followed his outing against Atlanta.

The left-hander feels healthy, but he also needed to remind himself why he wants to achieve greatness and why he continues playing. Those conversations have helped him move forward.

“Physically, I feel good,” Snell noted.

“But I think after that last start, just kind of getting back to me and the conversations that I would have, why I want to be great, why I’m playing. Having those conversations has really helped.”

Wednesday’s start will come 10 days after his outing against the Braves. Snell has used bullpen sessions and catch days to keep his arm prepared during the extended break.

His preparation has extended beyond studying Milwaukee’s plate appearances. Snell has also watched the Brewers’ interviews and paid attention to how they describe their approach.

He noticed that Milwaukee places considerable importance on individual competition. Snell also believes manager Pat Murphy communicates with the team much differently than he did last year.

“I watch all their interviews,” Snell added.

“I notice how they talk. A lot of one-on-one competition is a key for them. And even the way that Pat talks and how he talks to the team is way different than last year.

“Your goal is, how do you counter that? And how do you get them into a different place? I think they’re in a good spot now, especially being up 2-0. But adversity hits, and that’s when thoughts start racing.”

The challenge is determining how to counter that mindset and force the Brewers into an uncomfortable position.

Milwaukee is confident after taking a 2-0 series lead, but Snell understands that adversity can cause players to overthink situations and allow doubts to emerge.

Snell’s awareness is one of his most important strengths. He does not limit preparation to pitch selection or mechanical work. He studies how opponents think, communicate and respond to pressure.

He also possesses the honesty to evaluate his own mentality after a poor outing. Rather than dismissing the performance, Snell used it to reconnect with his motivation and competitive identity.

His responsibility Wednesday is clear. Snell believes he knows what he must do to win and dominate, and his complete attention will remain on executing that plan.

“I know what I need to do,” Snell concluded.

“I know what I need to do to win and dominate, and I’m going to just focus on that.”