PHILADELPHIA -- Starter Blake Snell was placed on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation ahead of Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Dodgers recalled righty Matt Sauer from Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding move.
Per manager Dave Roberts, Snell began throwing a bullpen session on Sunday and felt soreness in his shoulder. He later underwent an MRI that revealed inflammation but otherwise came back clean. The 32-year-old left-hander's IL placement is backdated to Thursday, the day after his most recent start, and he is expected to miss two starts at minimum.
"I just think if you¡¯re not going to finish your bullpen," Roberts said, "that¡¯s pretty much a tell-all to then kind of nip whatever is going on in his arm."
Snell said he had been feeling soreness in his shoulder for about three weeks. He initially thought he could pitch through it, as he's used to feeling residual soreness during the season, although he could not recall dealing with much in his shoulder.
"Played long toss, catch, tried to throw -- I just couldn't," Snell said on Monday. "But it's inflammation. Hopefully, it's a couple weeks, and I'm back and I'm ready to go then. ¡
¡°This sucks. I was hoping I could just get past it and pitch, and it would go away. It's hurting, so I'll get healthy and get back out there."
Snell will meet with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who is on the Dodgers¡¯ road trip, to determine how to proceed. He will likely be shut down from throwing for at least a few days, and Roberts said an injection is a possibility.
After signing a five-year, $182 million contract this past November, two-time Cy Young Award winner Snell posted a 2.00 ERA in his first two starts with the Dodgers. He had been listed as the probable starter for Tuesday's game against the Nationals. Now, the Dodgers have to revise their pitching plans.
Dustin May started the series opener in Washington, D.C., but both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are on a once-a-week schedule and won't pitch until Friday and Saturday, respectively, at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers will call up lefty Justin Wrobleski to start Tuesday -- Sauer will be optioned as the corresponding move, per Roberts -- and Wednesday could potentially be a bullpen game.
Depending on whether Roberts turns to the bullpen, rookie left-hander Jack Dreyer could be a length option. He tossed a season-high 2 1/3 innings on Sunday, which was his first time getting seven outs in a game as a pro since 2023.
Landon Knack is also in town and could be an option for Wednesday, either as a starter or length in a bullpen game. He picked up his World Series ring and visited the White House with the big league club, although Roberts noted that he is not officially on the taxi squad.
Los Angeles will need to push its starting pitching depth for the first time this season, which the team is all too familiar with after last year, when it was pushed to the limit by an influx of injuries to the rotation.
"I didn¡¯t expect it," Roberts said. "One day you feel good with where you¡¯re at, and then the next day you¡¯re scrambling a little bit. That¡¯s part of the marathon of a Major League season."