GLENDALE, Ariz. — Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award recipient, marked an impressive start in his spring training debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Snell, who inked a five-year, $182 million contract with the team last November, showcased his skills by throwing 20 of 30 pitches as strikes in his first outing.
The left-hander managed the top of Seattle’s lineup skillfully, initiating the game with a ground-out by J.P. Crawford. He then struck out the Mariners’ star Julio Rodríguez, before surrendering a two-out single to Randy Arozarena. Snell concluded his stint with a groundout from Mitch Garver, keeping the inning scoreless.
Snell’s fastball consistently reached 96 mph, a promising indication of form during this early stage of spring training. Reflecting on his performance, Snell commented, “I was looking at velocity more than I thought I was going to. But yeah, really happy where that’s at.”
The 32-year-old pitcher, who played for San Francisco last season, recorded a 5-3 win-loss record and a 3.12 ERA, amassing 145 strikeouts across 104 innings. Highlighting the importance of fastball precision, Snell stated, “Fastball command is everything. If you don’t have that, it’s going to be very tough to pitch in this league.”
Following his inning on the mound, Snell headed to the bullpen to fine-tune his offspeed pitches. With a career spanning eight years, Snell earned Cy Young honors in 2018 with Tampa Bay and again in 2023 with San Diego. His overall record stands at 76-58, with a 3.19 ERA over nine seasons, representing the Rays, Padres, and Giants.
In this new chapter with the Dodgers, Snell strengthens a rotation anticipated to include Yoshinobu Yamamoto and promising 23-year-old rookie Roki Sasaki, who conceded a home run to Chicago White Sox prospect Kyle Teel in a simulated game on the same day. The team also awaits the return of two-way star Shohei Ohtani, currently on the mend from elbow surgery, who is anticipated to rejoin the pitching staff after opening day.
Snell expressed his excitement about the new beginnings, saying, “It was the first time I got to pitch in a Dodger uniform. Definitely excited about that.”
