Los Angeles Dodgers superstar pitcher Blake Snell exited Wednesday's start with groin tightness after just one inning.
Snell has dealt with groin issues in the past, but the timing of this injury could not be worse. The regular season is almost over and the Dodgers need him for the postseason. He does not have much time to recover, and if he goes on the injured list, the Dodgers could be without him for a portion of the postseason, depending on how severe the injury is.
Snell didn't seem too concerned, describing it as "more of a scare" and saying he thinks he "should be good." The team plans to see how he feels on Thursday before sending him to get imaging, per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. While Snell is optimistic, his manager, Dave Roberts, admitted the team doesn't know what the next steps look like.
"I don’t think anyone can sit here right now and say what’s going to happen in the next week to 10 days,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers will want to do anything they can to make sure they have Snell when they play in October. Roberts said that everything is on the table when it comes to the game plan for him, but nothing is set in stone. They just want to make sure he's ready to go when the postseason starts.
"He just can’t afford any more setbacks,” Roberts said. “So whether it’s his next start or being pushed back, or whatever it is, we’ve got to make sure that he comes out ready to go in the postseason. So, that’s kind of where my head is at personally.”
The Dodgers don't have a clear plan yet with Snell, but surely one will develop over the next few days. Should he need a stint on the injured list, the team may still have him back in time for their first postseason game. The Dodgers are in the driver's seat for a first-round bye, but with every loss, they make it harder to be the top seed.