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Blake Snell Closes In on Dodgers Return After Four-Inning Triple-A Start

His activation will force Los Angeles to choose which back-end starter yields from a crowded rotation.

Overview

  • Snell, who threw four innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, struck out four on 55 pitches and settled in after an early two-run homer.
  • Manager Dave Roberts said Snell needs at least one more rehab start before activation, with the club targeting a mid-to-late May return as he builds toward about five innings and 75 pitches.
  • USA TODAY’s projection has Emmet Sheehan losing his rotation turn and shifting to relief, a move that would leverage his strikeout stuff despite recent command and velocity dips.
  • Columnists have pushed a different path for Roki Sasaki, arguing the right-hander should be optioned to Triple-A to regain fastball power and command after uneven results and his own admission that his success hinges on that pitch.
  • Lefty Justin Wrobleski’s surge, capped by six scoreless frames in St. Louis that moved him to 5-0 with a 1.25 ERA, makes him an unlikely candidate to cede a spot when Snell returns.