Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Blake Snell, a former Cy Young award winner, is headed back to the injured list after just one start.
Snell has been diagnosed with loose bodies in his left elbow, something that closer Edwin Diaz has dealt with as well, leading to a couple of months of recovery time.
Snell has been on the 15-day IL since May 12, which means the earliest he can be activated is May 27. Lefty Charlie Barnes, who was recently acquired from the Cubs, has been activated in Snell’s place.
Snell was activated before his start on Saturday, May 9, against the Atlanta Braves. He only pitched three innings, allowed four runs, and struggled with constant traffic, some of which was a result of unlucky, soft-contact hits.
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) talks with manager Dave Roberts (30) in the dugout in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Snell previously dealt with loose bodies in his elbow in 2019, which resulted in him missing more than two months of action.
Edwin Diaz currently has a similar timeline after surgery. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is another big-name arm that has dealt with the injury.
What is Blake Snell’s injury history with the Dodgers?
Ahead of his start on Friday, May 15, it was reported that Snell was scratched from his start, which would have been his second of the season.
Snell has battled shoulder discomfort since the end of the 2025 season, though he has purposely taken it easy on his body since then.
He slowly ramped up over the spring, eventually starting to throw and making a handful of minor league rehabilitation appearances.
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting Blake Snell (7) warms up prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
According to the pitcher, he rushed himself through the start of the 2025 season, excited to make his Dodgers debut, which resulted in shoulder issues during the regular season.
He ended up returning for the postseason and made a successful, gradual ramp-up that gave the team hope he could stay away from the injured list beyond the start of the year.
However, Snell will now be out of the mix at least until the end of the month, with the Dodgers likely being careful — again — and bringing him along slowly through the rehab stages.
