Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell was originally scheduled to make his fourth and likely final minor league rehab start on Saturday for the Class-A Ontario Tower Buzzers in Rancho Cucamonga. Instead, the left-hander will come about 48 miles west and start at Dodger Stadium instead.
Jack Harris of the California Post was first to report the change in plans for Snell, which was also confirmed by Katie Woo at The Athletic and Sonja Chen at MLB.com.
There are plenty of questions we’ll get at least some answers to in a few hours, during pregame media availability at Dodger Stadium, such as how if at all this is related to Tyler Glasnow leaving his Wednesday start in Houston with lower back pain, or otherwise which pitcher will Snell replace in the Dodgers rotation. The original plan this weekend against the Atlanta Braves was for Emmet Sheehan to start Friday, Roki Sasaki to start Saturday, and Justin Wrobleski on Sunday
Snell made three rehab starts, the first two for Ontario before pitching last Sunday for Triple-A Oklahoma City. In that final tuneup, Snell struck out four and walked one in his four innings, allowing two runs, including a home run.
Snell started the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue after not throwing much at all during the offseason after last year’s extended postseason run. Snell had a 3.18 ERA in his six postseason games, including five starts, with 41 strikeouts against 13 walks in his 34 innings.
Saturday also happens to be Blake Snell bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium.
