Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow, manager Dave Roberts announced Saturday, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
The Dodgers didn't immediately provide a timetable for his return, although Roberts is optimistic that Snell will be back before the end of this season.
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz was sidelined with the same issue in April and is expected to return around the All-Star break. Snell is also likely facing an absence of at least two-to-three months, with surgery expected to sideline him until July or August, sources told Jack Harris of the California Post.
Snell previously had loose bodies removed from his elbow in 2019 while with the Tampa Bay Rays. He missed almost two full months after that procedure.
The 33-year-old was scratched from his scheduled start Friday in Anaheim and placed on the 15-day injured list a few hours before the game. Roberts said Friday that the two-time Cy Young winner felt something "in the back of" his throwing elbow while playing catch Thursday.
This latest setback continues what's been an injury-plagued start to Snell's Dodgers career. He's made just 12 regular-season starts since joining L.A. on a five-year, $182-million contract before the 2025 season - 11 of which came in 2025. A shoulder issue held Snell back last year, but he was healthy enough to throw 34 innings during the Dodgers' World Series run.
More shoulder woes in the spring led to Snell starting 2026 on the IL. He made his season debut Tuesday after three rehab starts, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in three innings during a loss to the Atlanta Braves.
With both Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the IL, it's unclear who might take the newly vacant rotation spot going forward. Glasnow, sidelined with a back issue, recently started playing catch but still doesn't have a firm return date.
