The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a good start to their 2026 season. They are 4-1, following a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks and split the first two of a three-game set with the Cleveland Guardians.
They have accomplished this without being at full strength, too. Arguably, the team's most talented starting pitcher, Blake Snell, is still not close to returning to a big league mound. But on Wednesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that his ace lefty will “likely” face live hitters when the team returns from its upcoming six-game road trip, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Los Angeles will head to the nation's capital following the series with the Guardians. After that, they travel north of the border for a World Series rematch with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Snell has dealt with several injuries throughout his career. He had elbow surgery in 2019, gastroenteritis in 2021, and adductor and groin strains over several years. The ailments cost him chunks of time.
But last season, his first with the Dodgers, Snell dealt with shoulder fatigue and inflammation. That limited him to just 11 appearances in 2025. The hope was that he would be ready to begin the 2026 season, but the veteran starter reportedly pushed his recovery a bit too aggressively during the offseason.
That prompted the shoulder issue to pop back up. Los Angeles' expectation is that Snell will rejoin the rotation at the end of May.
After facing live hitters, Snell will likely throw several batting practice sessions before heading off to a minor league rehab start.
