Blake Snell exits Dodgers' loss to Reds early because of injury

Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times on Sep 16, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

CINCINNATI — Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell left his start against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday after one inning, with what the team identified as left groin tightness.

Snell gave up one hit, a single to Sal Stewart, which he quickly erased with a successful pick-off that caught Stewart in an inning-ending rundown.

Snell threw 19 pitches. Blake Treinen replaced him in the second inning.

The Dodgers’ 6-2 loss Wednesday marked Snell’s eighth start of the season. His 2026 debut was delayed by shoulder fatigue. And then after one start, he landed back on the injured list to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

Since returning, he hasn’t given up more than one run in a start. Through Wednesday’s abbreviated outing, Snell has a 1.86 ERA.

Snell has a history of left groin and adductor strains. He spent time on the IL in 2021, 2022 and 2024 for such injuries.

After Snell left the game, the Dodgers used six relievers to get through seven innings. They combined to give up six runs and 12 hits, including a pair of home runs.

Left-hander Kris Bubic, acquired at the trade deadline while on the IL (flexor strain, shoulder impingement), made his Dodgers debut in the eighth inning. In his first major league appearance since mid-May, he allowed an infield single and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.

The Dodgers had a chance to clinch the division with a win. If the San Diego Padres lose Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers win the NL West. If the Padres win, the Dodgers will have another shot at clinching Thursday.

The Dodgers’ rotation, however, is in flux.

Though right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and left-hander Tarik Skubal have been rounding into the best versions of themselves down the stretch, Snell’s injury is the latest to deplete the ranks.

Right-hander Roki Sasaki (right middle finger blister) has been on the IL for almost three weeks. He threw a four-inning, 48-pitch live batting practice session Wednesday, with Dermabond covering the sensitive area on his finger.

The Dodgers had planned to discuss how to deploy him when he returns from the IL, but if Snell is out for his next start, Sasaki seems to be a natural replacement.

“It’s playable,” manager Dave Roberts said of Sasaki’s blister. “And given the Dermabond, the time that he’ll have in between this next outing, the hope is that it’s dang near close to being healed.”

Right-hander Tyler Glasnow hit a rough patch in his last two starts but said his back, which sidelined him for three and a half months, “feels good.” The Dodgers sent him back to Los Angeles after the series in Miami to cut down on the number of flights he’d have to sit on before his scheduled start Friday.

“Get him home, get him acclimated to Pacific Standard Time, not have to do two legs,” Roberts said. “So Tyler feels great. He’ll be ready to go on Friday.”

The Dodgers optioned right-hander Emmet Sheehan to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, in favor of an extra reliever. But over his last two major league starts, he’s limited opponents to one run and five hits in 11 2/3 innings.

Pitchers generally have to remain in Triple-A for 15 days after being optioned, but the minimum does not apply if the player is recalled as the corresponding move for a player going on the IL.