Blake Snell gave the Los Angeles Dodgers exactly what they needed in the NL Wild Card Series against the Reds. The left-hander delivered the best start of his playoff career and set the tone for the Dodgers in their push through the MLB postseason. Starting in the Dodgers-Reds matchup with heavy pressure, Snell worked deep into the game and made history in his own way.
Snell pitched longer than he ever has in October, going past the sixth inning with command and poise. The same pitcher once lifted from Game 6 of the 2020 World Series after surrendering his first hit showed he has learned to trust his arsenal in big moments. The Dodgers rewarded that patience with steady run support, but it was Snell’s performance that changed the game.
The Reds had no answer for his changeup. In fact, Snell racked up nine strikeouts, tying his postseason career high. Five of them came on the offspeed pitch that kept darting and dipping with late life. And every time Cincinnati thought they had it timed, they swung right through. They whiffed 15 times against it, the most he’s ever drawn with that pitch in a single start. What made it even tougher was the variation, some changeups came in at 87 mph, others floated in at 82 mph.
Meanwhile, Reds manager Terry Francona admitted the approach created chaos. “He’d throw one that was 87 and one that was 82,” Francona said. “And he threw multiple, like two, three, four in a row at times and all different speeds. And then you throw a 97 mph fastball in there and it becomes difficult.” His words summed up the frustration of a young lineup that never found its rhythm.
For the Dodgers, that outing meant more than just one night of dominance. It showed a different version of Snell, one ready to handle October innings that used to haunt him. And while the Dodgers-Reds series still has more chapters to play out, his start gives Los Angeles a serious edge that goes beyond the box score.
Now the question is simple. Can this dominant version of Blake Snell carry the Dodgers deeper into the MLB postseason? Or will the Reds find a way to punch back in the NL Wild Card Series?
