Dodgers lefty Blake Snell will make his 2026 debut on Saturday against the Braves rather than make a final rehab start, a source told MLB.com's Sonja Chen on Friday. The club has not confirmed the move.
Snell began the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue. He's made three rehab starts, including a four-inning outing last Sunday for Triple-A Oklahoma City in which he allowed two runs on two hits and struck out four batters.
The four innings (55 pitches) at Triple-A represented the longest of Snell's three rehab starts, meaning he could be limited in Saturday's game against Atlanta, which entered Friday's action tied with the Cubs and Yankees for the best record in the Majors.
The move comes as the Dodgers are dealing with some rotation uncertainty after Tyler Glasnow's early exit with lower back pain on Wednesday and ongoing velocity issues for Emmet Sheehan.
Snell missed four months with shoulder inflammation last season, his first with the Dodgers, before finishing 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 starts. His 2026 debut comes with good timing: Saturday is Blake Snell bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium.