Dodgers Expected to Slow Walk Snell and Other SP

Blake Snell did not miss a start in two of his 10 years in MLB.  Yes, in those two seasons he was the CY winner.  He pitched 180 innings in both years.  Other than those two seasons, he has pitched 128+ innings three times, 107 IP, 104 IP, and three times less than 100.

It is clear that he is not the healthiest pitcher in MLB.  But when you need him, he is there.  He dominated in his 1^st three starts in last year’s playoffs. He pitched 21.0 innings, allowed 2 runs (0.86 ERA), 6 hits, 5 BB, and 29 K.  He shutout the Phillies for 6.0 innings, allowing 1 hit.  He followed that by shutting out the Brewers in 8.0 innings on 1 hit, 0 BB and 10 K.

Snell did get roughed up by Toronto in his two starts in the WS.  But after his Game 5 start (6.2 IP), he was summoned in the 8^th inning of Game 7 in relief of Emmet Sheehan who gave up an inning opening double to Ernie Clement.  Snell shut down Andres Gimenez, George Springer, and Davis Schneider in order, the last two via the K.

In the 9^th he got the 1^st out, but gave up a single to Bichette and walked Barger and was lifted for Yamamoto and his heroics (along with Pages).

All in all, Snell pitched 34.0 innings in the playoffs with a 3.18 ERA against some great offenses.  He recently said:

“You want to ramp up, but I gotta take my time and get healthy,” said Snell, the two-time Cy Young Award winner who returned from a long-term shoulder injury last summer to play a starring role in the Dodgers’ title trek.

 “I feel like I’m doing the right thing. I feel good. I’ve been throwing. It feels better. In the postseason, I gave everything I had for that. But on the front end of spring, I’ll have to be patient and let my body get to 100%.

 “That’s what I’m learning talking with (the team). Don’t rush. Be patient. Make sure you’re 100%. And that’s what’s awesome about the organization. They really are focused on your health and well-being.”

Snell throws a lot of pitches.  He loves to chase the chase, thus a lot of BB and a lot of K.  Snell’s history shows that he is a slow starter, but once the calendar turns to July, he is dominant.  I would much rather have a healthy Snell than rush him out there when the Dodgers have plenty of pitching depth to cover him.  So what if he loses 2-3 starts in the beginning of the season to properly ramp up once healthy.  He lost 16 starts last year perhaps because he pitched through an injury in the beginning, not wanting to disappoint his new team.  Blake…take your time and be ready for another long championship run.

I am not worried about slow-walking Snell, especially if he believes that is what is warranted. The pitcher I am more worried about is Yoshinobu Yamamoto.  He pitched a lot of innings last year, including 37.1 in the playoffs.  In five post-season starts he threw 34.2 innings, nearly 7.0 innings per start.  That was after 30 starts and 173.2 IP during the regular season.

Yamamoto is on the Team Japan WBC roster, and I am sure he is going to pitch.  I know that Brandon Gomes is concerned about how many stress innings he is going to pitch in the WBC.  You cannot just shut him down after the WBC and then ramp him up again.  He is just going to have to be managed through IP when he gets back.

Dodgers pitchers and catchers report February 13 (last team to report). The position players report February 17, with the first game set for February 21.  Japan will be in Pool C in the WBC, and will play in Tokyo, Japan.  Pool C starts on March 4, with Japan’s 1^st game scheduled for March 6.  They will also play March 7, 8, and 10.  I do not know how much time LAD will have with Yamamoto before he has to report to Japan.

Chinese Taipei, Australia, Korea, and Czech Republic are the four other teams in Pool C.  Team Japan will undoubtedly get into the Semi-finals scheduled for March 15 and March 16, with the final on March 17.  I am guessing that Yamamoto will be asked to pitch in one of those games.

Yamamoto and Ohtani will be traveling on March 18 when the Dodgers play the Giants in ST.  They have an off day for March 19, and the regular season will start one week later.  Will Yamamoto be ready for that 1^st series against Arizona or even the 2^nd series against Cleveland?

Like with Snell, Yoshinobu, take your time.  The Dodgers have more than enough depth.

Shohei Ohtani is also representing Team Japan in the WBC, but is not scheduled to pitch. But we remember what happened in the last WBC.  Hopefully he will not pitch, but if he does, it will be in relief, and probably limited.  Ohtani was never expected to pitch more often than on a 6 man rotation for the Dodgers, What we do not know, is how much ramping up will he be doing while with Team Japan?  There are potentially multiple piggyback games once he is back with LAD to start the season.

Roki Sasaki is not on Team Japan, and will be spending all of his ramp up work with LAD.

Then there is Tyler Glasnow.  Glasnow is another exceptionally slow starter and is prone to injury.  He needs to remain healthy for the season.  When healthy, he can dominate.  But that has been a BIG IF throughout his career.  So if he needs a slow ramp up, so be it.  Just do not pitch while hurt.

Last post season Glasnow was nearly as dominant as Yamamoto.  Tyler started 3 games and relieved in 3 others.  Overall, Glasnow pitched in 6 games, 21.1 IP, 1 hold 1 save, no W or L, 1.69 ERA.  The Dodgers need THAT Tyler Glasnow throughout the season.  So if he needs to slowly ramp up and take his time, so be it.

Emmet Sheehan is ready to start the season in the LAD rotation.  He is proven and he is capable of pitching deep into games, although I am sure he will be on an early season pitch count.

Gavin Stone, River Ryan, and Justin Wrobleski figure to be the three SP depth to get the early calls.  All three should be ready to compete for a starting spot as soon as they report.

I am really looking forward to seeing Ryan.  He reportedly was hitting 100 last year in rehab, and may have found that 3^rd plus pitch. Two years ago when Sheehan could not start the season, it was Gavin Stone who stepped up and was at times dominant, but competitive every time out.  Both Ryan and Stone are mid-rotation types. Wrobo would be a #4 on most teams.  And #5 on others.  But for the Dodgers, he is a valuable swing pitcher capable of starting, multiple inning relief, and late inning high leverage relief.

After that, the Dodgers have Ben Casparius, Landon Knack, Kyle Hurt, and even Bobby Miller who could get an opportunity to fill in during ST and the early few weeks during the regular season.  Every one of those pitchers can start for multiple teams.  Although many (all) of them will be bullpen pitchers, at least to start the season for the Dodgers.  If disaster happens, Jackson Ferris may be asked to make his debut in 2026.

The Dodgers are the envy of the other 29 teams in many ways.  But NO team can match the quality depth the Dodgers have for SP.  Just like they can afford Kyle Tucker financially, they can afford to slow walk their vaunted rotation and properly manage their innings.

Most of us have complained about the lack of pitching deep into games with today’s pitchers.  Yes, I am one of them.  But what I too often forget is that today’s pitchers are taught to hold nothing back on pitch 1.  They are taught and expected to go full tilt twice through the lineup, and three times  if they have limited their pitches.  The Drysdale’s, Koufax’s, Gibson’s, Carlton’s, Nolan Ryan’s…were all taught to hold something back so they can pitch effectively in the late innings, hoping for that complete game.  Orel Hershiser has commented on this on multiple occasions.  Different time, different pitching strategy.

If the Dodgers starting rotation needs to be slow walked, we may get a longer look at Ryan, Stone, Wrobo, and others.  Not too bad for a #7, #8, and #9.