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Blake Snell is nearing his return after completing a simulated inning at Dodger Stadium, marking a significant step forward for the Dodgers. The focus was on his presence rather than performance results.
Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field
LOS ANGELES ā The Dodgers clubhouse has learned to live with the slow burn of a long season, where April questions donāt always have immediate answers. But on Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, there was something tangibleāsomething closer to clarityāwhen Blake Snell took a meaningful step forward.
It wasnāt flashy. It wasnāt dominant. And it certainly wasnāt about results.
It was about presence.
āFor me personally, Itās just an exercise,ā Roberts said pregame on what he was looking for in Snellās session.
Snell threw a simulated inning at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium, facing Tommy Edman twiceāonce from each side of the plateāin a controlled but important environment. 15 pitches. One inning. A small box checked, but a significant one nonetheless.
For a pitcher of Snellās caliber, the road back isnāt measured purely in radar gun readings or painted corners. Manager Dave Roberts made that clear before the game, emphasizing that Saturdayās session wasnāt about command or velocity. It wasnāt about winning a sequence or fooling a hitter.
It was about feel.
And maybe more importantly, it was about freedomāgetting back on a mound, facing a hitter, and letting the body and mind reconnect to the rhythm that makes Snell who he is.
āHe's in a good spot,ā Roberts said, a simple sentence that carried weight considering the uncertainty that often shadows pitcher recoveries.
The Dodgers arenāt rushing this. They rarely do with arms that matter. The plan is deliberate: see how Snell recovers, build him up to two innings next, then three, and eventually stretch him toward four innings before a likely rehab assignment.
Itās a progression that values sustainability over urgency, even for a team with October expectations baked into its DNA.
But make no mistakeāthis isnāt abstract anymore. This is real progress.
āI talked to him yesterday a little bit in the dugout,ā Roberts said Saturday afternoon. āHeās getting antsy but I think heās just excited because he feels strong and feels healthy.ā
Inside the organization, thereās a growing sense that Snellās return isnāt just theoretical. Early May is now a reasonable target, not an optimistic guess. And for a rotation that has had to navigate its share of early-season variables, adding a pitcher with Snellās swing-and-miss arsenal changes the equation.
Not all at once. Not immediately. But meaningfully.
Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on August 02, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
Robert Sloter - The Sporting Tribune
Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on August 02, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
Thereās also an understated benefit to what Saturday represented: Snell facing a hitter like Edman, who can switch-hit, gave him a different kind of challenge than a standard bullpen. Even in a controlled setting, that variability matters. It sharpens instincts. It tests sequencing. It reintroduces the unpredictability that defines real competition.
And yet, the Dodgers arenāt pretending this was anything more than a step.
A good step, yes. An encouraging one, certainly. But still just one.
The coming days will matter just as muchāhow Snellās body responds, how the arm bounces back, how the feel translates when the workload increases. Thatās where rehabs are won or lost, in the quiet hours between sessions.
Blake Snell completed a simulated inning at Dodger Stadium, indicating he is close to returning to play.
Blake Snell's return is crucial as it adds depth to the Dodgers' pitching rotation during a long season.
The simulated inning signifies a meaningful step forward in Blake Snell's recovery process.
The Dodgers clubhouse has learned to manage the slow pace of the season and is encouraged by Snell's recent progress.

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