A recent report suggested that Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell's availability for Opening Day could be in question due to a shoulder concern. He simply threw a lot of pitches throughout the Dodgers' World Series run and may have over-worked his shoulder. On Saturday, however, Snell revealed that the “plan” is indeed to be ready for Opening Day, via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
“Blake Snell said his shoulder continued to bother him through the World Series, but it wasn’t anything that required more than physical therapy and rest. He will be slow played this spring. As far as Opening Day? ‘That’s the plan,' Snell said,” Ardaya wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Barring any setbacks, it appears that Snell will be ready to go to begin the season. Could the Dodgers limit his pitch count early in the '26 campaign? Anything is possible, but Snell is planning to be available to start regardless of a potential pitch count limit.
Snell, 33, pitched to a 2.35 ERA in 2025. He was limited to only 11 starts, however. The veteran southpaw still made an impact in his first season with the Dodgers, as he helped the ball club win its second consecutive World Series.
The Dodgers are not short on talent once again heading into 2026. With that being said, they will still need Snell on the mound. He brings a Cy Young ceiling and valuable postseason experience to the table.
Updates will continue to be provided on Blake Snell's status as they are made available.
