Sep 20, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby (68) walks off the field after the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The Mariners take the field again Wednesday, looking to avoid being swept by the worst team in the American League only a day after clinching their first losing season since 2019.
In the offseason prior to the 2019 season, the Mariners went back to the drawing board and kicked off the rebuild that ultimately led to their first playoff appearances since 2001. Yusei Kikuchi, a left-hander out of NPB, signed with the Mariners as one of the first moves of this rebuild, and would become the team’s lone All-Star in 2021 before leaving in free agency.
Somewhat fittingly, Kikuchi gets the nod for the Angels on Wednesday. He’ll be countered by George Kirby, who was the Mariners’ first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. Go figure.
Lineups
With the Mariners facing a lefty, Taylor Ward will make his first start of the series against his former team. Weston Wilson will also round out the lineup at third base.
Jefferson Rojas has settled right in following his promotion to Triple-A, putting together his second straight strong showing on Wednesday night.
The Mets’ top prospect wasted no time getting the team on the board, singling on the second pitch he saw in the bottom of the first, before coming around to score on a Ronny Mauricio double.
Rojas did some damage of his own just two innings later, jumping all over a first-pitch slider, lifting it 398 feet to deep right for his second homer in as many games.
The two-run blast was his 26th on the minor league season.
He singled again on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the fifth but was stranded, then reached a fourth time with an eight-pitch walk leading off the seventh.
Rojas finished his day 3-for-3 with the homer, two singles, two runs scored, and two RBI.
The 21-year-old has now reached six times over his first nine at-bats through two games with Syracuse.
He's hitting a strong .276 with 26 homers, 27 doubles, 20 stolen bases, 90 RBI, and a .838 OPS on the season.
Rojas has done nothing but continue to add to his impressive resume as he looks to work his way into the big-league mix heading into his first spring training with the organization.
Also with Syracuse, Ryan Clifford lifted his second homer since returning from the Development List.
Recently named organizational Pitcher of the Year, Jonathan Santucci had a bit of an up-and-down start, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks across 5.1 innings of work.
With six more Ks, Santucci is up to 163, which is top among minor leaguers for the season.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 30: A general view of Chase Field prior to the MLB game between the Detroit Tigers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on March 30, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Arizona Diamondbacks/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
MARLINS
DIAMONDBACKS
Kyle Stowers – 1B
Lars Nootbaar – LF
Heriberto Hernandez – LF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Otto Lopez – SS
Gabriel Moreno – C
Griffin Conine – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Javier Sanoja – 3B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Jakob Marsee – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Xavier Edwards – 2B
Jesus Sanchez – DH
Joe Mack – C
Pavin Smith – 1B
Esteury Ruiz – RF
Tim Tawa – CF
Ryan Gusto – RHP
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ active roster is at 28 and the 40-man roster is at 40.
Reinstated from the 60-day injured list: RHP Ryne Nelson (strained right elbow; retro to June 16)v
Designated for assignment: RHP Derek Law
So, that’s now… Seven starters on the active roster for the D-backs? Kinda. Given the lack of length in his rehab outings, it looks like Nelson will instead be joining Zac Gallen in working out of the bullpen the rest of the way, which will be interesting. Nelson had made 15 appearances this year, purely as a starter, but does have experience out of the bullpen, in particular last year, when he came on in relief ten times. Small(ish) sample size, but he has actually been significantly better in that role. He has a 2.82 ERA across 44.2 IP, compared to 4.43 over his 93 starts. His starts this year were higher still, at 4.97.
I am a little surprised to see the team make room for Nelson by dumping Derek Law. In some ways, it is a case of, “easy come, easy go.” He’d not pitched in the majors since 2024 due to injury, and began the year on the Injured List. After a couple of rehab outings and another IL stint, he joined the Reno Aces in August, and was then quickly promoted to the major-league roster, making his first appearance there on August 29. He allowed a run in his first outing, but since then has tossed 7.2 scoreless frames across six outings, decent numbers. But with no minor-league options remaining and a free agent at season end, I guess the math didn’t add up.
I’m going to be taking my own advice this evening and stepping outside to touch grass. Well, not literally. It’s still summer in Arizona, so you really don’t want to step outside, and the grass died several months ago. But I’m going to put the phone away for the evening and fully commit to other pastimes! I’ll check back in around 9:30 pm, in the hopes of seeing a series win, in advance of tomorrow’s off-day.
San Diego Padres celebrating a recent victory (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With less than two weeks remaining in the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the San Diego Padres have firm control of the third and final National League Wild Card postseason position.
The magic number is nine, and with a little luck, they can clinch a playoff berth against division foe, the Arizona Diamondbacks, at Petco Park next weekend. Any combination of Friars wins and Diamondbacks losses totaling nine allows the Brown & Gold to pop some champagne and celebrate.
2026 regular season has been a grind
That’s all well and good; the path to the postseason has been a grind. The season has been a Jekyll and Hyde campaign: the bats went silent early on, and so did the team’s ability to win games.
The Friar Faithful criticized the club for failing to take advantage of lesser teams on the schedule. It seemed like the Padres were playing down to their opponents.
Once the lineup found consistency at the plate and the starting rotation came together to produce quality starts, the wins have come in bunches. All of it has helped to maintain a 2.5-game lead over the D-Backs in the Wild Card standings.
Wild Card standings wide open
The two teams will meet in the final regular-season series at Petco Park on Sept. 25-27. No need to analyze the series, as the Friars can make it meaningless by continuing to win. The magic number dwindles; the D-Backs will lose ground to make up the deficit, as games are removed from the schedule.
At worst, Arizona wants to be trailing by three games heading to San Diego.
The Padres will likely open on the road against the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card round. However, the club is narrowing the gap on the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs in the standings.
Both teams are struggling to play .500 baseball, keeping the Friars in the hunt to gain ground in the Wild Card race. Because San Diego lost the season series to the Phillies and Cubs, they don’t hold the tiebreaker and must finish ahead of both teams in the standings to advance.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, the Padres must first clinch a postseason berth.
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Brian Wolfe pitches against the Rangers on Sept. 1, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Brian Wolfe, a standout pitcher at Servite who played three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, has died at age 45, his wife shared Tuesday on Facebook.
“I’m am sorry to write this but after a really really difficult and torturous battle Brian Wolfe passed away early this morning,” Rachell Wolfe wrote.
No other details have been provided.
Wolfe was one of Orange County’s most dominant high school pitchers during the late 1990s. After going 8-0 with an ERA of 0.27 as a sophomore in 1997, he was the Friars’ ace the next two seasons.
Honored both years as a member of The Times’ All-Orange County team, Wolfe went 11-2 with a 1.37 ERA and a county-best 139 strikeouts as a junior and was 12-0 with a 1.30 ERA and nearly 100 strikeouts as a senior.
After committing to Cal State Fullerton in the fall of 1998, Wolfe opted to sign with the Minnesota Twins organization after being drafted in the sixth round (179th overall) the following summer. He spent the next several years working his way up through the minor leagues with the Twins, Milwaukee Brewers and Blue Jays before making his major league debut with Toronto as a relief pitcher in 2007.
Wolfe appeared in 72 games over three seasons with the Blue Jays, compiling a 5-5 record and a 3.81 ERA in 82.2 innings pitched. He became a free agent after the 2009 season and spent the next nine years playing in Japan with Nippon Professional Baseball, playing for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (including the 2013 season as teammates with Shohei Ohtani), Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (winning the Japan League title in 2014 and 2015) and Saitama Seibu Lions.
Former MLB outfielder Brandon Barnes posted a tribute to Wolfe on Wednesday, calling his fellow Orange County native “one of my best friends and a mentor.”
MINNEAPOLIS — New York Yankees star right fielder Aaron Judge was pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning Wednesday because of tightness in his lower right leg, a precautionary move after an injury he characterized as a normal occurrence soon after a long layoff.
Judge, who was on the bench Tuesday for planned rest, struck out in both of his at-bats against Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews before being replaced by Heliot Ramos. Judge had to run to the gap to track down a double in the fifth inning, his last action in the field, but he didn’t show any sign of slowness on that play. He said he felt the discomfort while playing in the field in the first inning.
The three-time AL MVP is 4 for 26 with 13 strikeouts and one extra-base hit in seven games since returning last week from a broken rib.
“We’re still trying to ramp up so there’s still going to be little things like this that come up,” Judge said after the Yankees lost 5-4 to the Twins in 13 innings. “I just thought it would be best instead of pushing through it like I normally do.”
Judge said he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what happened to trigger the injury, which he declined to specify.
“I tried to kind of play it off and see how it would go because these games are important down the stretch, but after kind of talking it over I thought it would be the right move to come out so we don’t cost the team on the field or cost the team on the basepaths,” Judge said.
Judge homered in the series opener at Minnesota on Monday, when the Yankees clinched a postseason spot. They entered Wednesday trailing AL East leader Tampa Bay by 3 1/2 games. The Yankees are off Thursday before starting a three-game series Friday at Arizona and hosting the Rays in a four-game division-race showdown beginning next Tuesday.
“I feel like you deal with this every spring training,” Judge said. “Usually at the start of the season once you start ramping up again this pops up, and that’s where we’ve been thankful this whole time coming back nothing’s really nagged us. So hopefully it’s just one little thing and we’re back out there soon.”
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 14: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres hits a two-run home run in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 14, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (82-69) at Colorado Rockies (56-95), September 16, 2026, 5:40 p.m. PST
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DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 11: Mason Adams #38 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday, September 11, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last night was fun.
The Colorado Rockies snapped a grueling eight-game losing streak —their longest of the season — with a commanding 9-3 win to snap the San Diego Padres eight-game winning streak. Now, the Rockies look to take a series lead with today’s third match-up!
Mason Adams (0-0, 3.38 ERA) takes the mound, looking for his first win in the big leagues. Adams looked great in his last outing on the road against the Detroit Tigers. He worked five innings with the only blemish being a Max Clark home run. He continues to pound the zone and now has 22 strikeouts in 18.2 innings of work against nine walks. The walks themselves have mostly come in bunches in an inning as he as walked at least three batters in two of his three starts.
Home runs have been a common occurrence for him thus far, as he has allowed five total home runs, at least one in each start. In his first start at Coors Field, Adams worked 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits against the St. Louis Cardinals. However, he did strike out seven while allowing just one walk in 4.2 innings. The recipe for success is that Adams has to work quickly and efficiently to put batters away. He has a pitch limit around 75 pitches, so if he can get through five and keep the Rockies in the game, it’ll be a successful start once again.
The Padres will send out veteran lefty Robbie Ray (12-8, 3.57 ERA). Ray enjoyed an excellent season in San Francisco, where he went 10-6 with a 3.08 ERA over 22 games. However, he hasn’t had as much success since being traded to the Padres. In seven starts with San Diego, Ray is 2-2 with a 5.35 ERA. The issue for Ray is that he is walking as many batters as he is striking them out. With 25 strikeouts and 24 walks in 33.2 innings, he’s dealing with a lot of traffic and has a 1.57 WHIP. He’s especially been beat up in September, allowing 10 runs on nine hits over his 7.1 innings of work across two starts.
Ray last faced the Rockies on July 10 at Coors Field. He was solid in that outing, allowing just one run on four hits over five innings with six walks and four strikeouts. He had faced the Rockies in the start before that in San Francisco on July 4, where he recorded a quality start. The Rockies have to be patient and make Ray throw strikes. This start will be his fourth against the Rockies this season. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 15 innings with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks and just one home run allowed.
Pete Alonso has gone from Mets hero to Mets killer in less than three full games.
One day after the slugger mashed his 300th career home run in dramatic fashion, he went deep against his old team on Wednesday with a titanic blast to give the Orioles an early lead in a 7-1 Baltimore win.
Alonso turned on a 2-2 curveball from Xzavion Curry and sent it into the second deck in left field at Citi Field. It was no cheapie at 410 feet with an exit velocity of 108.4 mph.
And much like his previous at-bats, Alonso was greeted with cheers from the Mets fanbase as he hit home run No. 301.
He finished the night 1-for-4.
Alonso, on Tuesday night, after going hitless in the series, mashed a game-tying home run off Kodai Senga in the ninth, sending it to extras where the Orioles would win.
He obliged the cheering supporters with a curtain call.
“Everyone in the dugout was saying, ‘Go out there,’ and they were right,” Alonso said. “I appreciate all the support. Especially all the years I’ve been here, all the life I’ve lived here. Obviously appreciate that, and it’s a two-way street.”
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run in the first inning at Citi Field in Queens, New York, Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POSTBaltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso, left, is greeted by third baseman Coby Mayo after scoring on a solo home run in the first inning of a baseball game at Citi Field in Queens, New York, Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Alonso gave three Mets fans who got the ball autographs, some beers and an offer to come down to Baltimore for an Orioles game.
Sean Manaea, Tuesday’s starter, said he’d never witnessed anything like Alonso getting cheered by fans of his old team.
“I love him to death, but as a team, as the 2026 Mets — I know we have definitely underperformed,” Manaea said. “But the guys in here work their ass off every single day. To have that kind of reaction to an opposing player — it could be anybody — is crazy to me.”
Blake Snell pitches in the first inning, which turned out to be his only innings, against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. (Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell left his start against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday after one inning, with what the team identified as left groin tightness.
Snell gave up one hit, a single to Sal Stewart, which he quickly erased with a successful pick-off that caught Stewart in an inning-ending rundown.
Snell threw 19 pitches. Blake Treinen replaced him in the second inning.
The Dodgers’ 6-2 loss Wednesday marked Snell’s eighth start of the season. His 2026 debut was delayed by shoulder fatigue. And then after one start, he landed back on the injured list to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.
Since returning, he hasn’t given up more than one run in a start. Through Wednesday’s abbreviated outing, Snell has a 1.86 ERA.
Snell has a history of left groin and adductor strains. He spent time on the IL in 2021, 2022 and 2024 for such injuries.
After Snell left the game, the Dodgers used six relievers to get through seven innings. They combined to give up six runs and 12 hits, including a pair of home runs.
Left-hander Kris Bubic, acquired at the trade deadline while on the IL (flexor strain, shoulder impingement), made his Dodgers debut in the eighth inning. In his first major-league appearance since mid-May, he allowed an infield single and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.
The Dodgers had a chance to clinch the division with a win. If the San Diego Padres lose Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers win the NL West. If the Padres win, the Dodgers will have another shot at clinching Thursday.
The Dodgers’ rotation, however, is in flux.
Though right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and left-hander Tarik Skubal have been rounding into the best versions of themselves down the stretch, Snell’s injury is the latest to deplete the ranks.
Right-hander Roki Sasaki (right middle finger blister) has been on the IL for almost three weeks. He threw a four-inning, 48-pitch live batting practice session Wednesday, with Dermabond covering the sensitive area on his finger.
The Dodgers had planned to discuss how to deploy him when he returns from the IL, but if Snell is out for his next start, Sasaki seems to be a natural replacement.
“It’s playable,” manager Dave Roberts said of Sasaki’s blister. “And given the Dermabond, the time that he’ll have in between this next outing, the hope is that it’s dang near close to being healed.”
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow hit a rough patch in his last two starts but said his back, which sidelined him for three and a half months, “feels good.” The Dodgers sent him back to Los Angeles after the series in Miami to cut down on the number of flights he’d have to sit on before his scheduled start Friday.
“Get him home, get him acclimated to Pacific Standard Time, not have to do two legs,” Roberts said. “So Tyler feels great. He’ll be ready to go on Friday.”
The Dodgers optioned right-hander Emmet Sheehan to triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, in favor of an extra reliever. But over his last two major-league starts, he’s limited opponents to one run and five hits in 11 ⅔ innings.
Pitchers generally have to remain in Triple A for 15 days after being optioned, but the minimum does not apply if the player is recalled as the corresponding move for a player going on the IL.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Trevor Hayes/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Houston Astros (76-75) will continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they host the Kansas City Royals (66-85) for the middle game of their three-game series at Daikin Park.
The resurgent RHP Cristian Javier (2-5, 5.50 ERA) will try to pitch the Astros to back-to-back wins tonight as he starts opposite LHP Daniel Lynch IV (5-5, 3.52 ERA) and the Royals.
MR. CRISTIAN: RHP Cristian Javier is making his 11th start and 16th appearance of the season tonight. He’s pitched well in his last two starts, holding the D-backs and Phillies to a combined two runs on four hits in 11.0 innings for a 1.64 ERA. He had 13 strikeouts over those last two starts and has fanned 30 hitters in 23.1 IP over his last five outings.
ASTROS-ROYALS: The Astros and Royals have a memorable history, with the two clubs meeting each other in the 2015 ALDS, won by the Royals in five games. 11 years later, 2B Jose Altuve and C Salvador Perez remain on their respective team’s active rosters, while SS Carlos Correa, currently on the IL, also played in the series. More recently, the Astros are 10-4 in their last 14 games against the Royals, including a 3-1 record this season.
HADER NAMED CLEMENTE NOMINEE: For the second straight season, LHP Josh Hader has been named the Astros nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for MLB players. The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of an MLB player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
LOS ASTROS: Space City Home Network will televise tonight’s game in English and Spanish with the Spanish broadcast being televised on SCHN2. Enrique Vasquez and Danny Gonzales will be on the call on the Spanish telecast tonight.
LAST NIGHT’S WIN: The Astros picked up a 4-2 win last night behind a huge game by SS Jeremy Peña (3×4, 2RBI), who homered twice, including a leadoff shot. He was joined by DH Yordan Alvarez (1×2, 2RBI), who connected for a two-run homer in the 5th. RHP Hunter Brown (1ER/5IP) earned the victory, fanning 10 hitters, which ties his career high.
BROTHER BROWN: Astros ace RHP Hunter Brown has posted a 5-2 record and a 3.00 ERA (19ER/57IP) in his last nine starts (since July 25), pitching through the 5th inning in all nine outings. Brown, who finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting last season, has been limited this season, missing over two months due to a lengthy stint on the IL (April 1-June 15) with a right shoulder strain.
ON THE MEND: The Astros have five players on the Major League Injured List. Here are updates on four:
• RHP Mike Burrows (rt. shoulder inflammation) threw 20 pitches off a mound on Sunday at the Astros Florida complex. He will continue his throwing progression in Houston this week.
• IF Carlos Correa (lt. ankle tendon injury) will not return to the active roster in 2026. Correa spent last week rehabbing at the Astros Florida complex and during the ramp-up process he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired ankle. He will return to Houston this week to be medically re-evaluated.
• LHP Steven Okert (rt. hamstring strain) spent last week at the Astros Florida complex, where he began a throwing progression. He will continue his throwing progression in Houston this week.
• OF Brice Matthews (lt. knee sprain) began a minor league rehab assignment last week with Triple A Sugar Land. He’s played in four games so far, appearing defensively in CF, 2B, 3B and LF
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories. He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking second in HR (39) and RBI (98). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.023), SLG (.594) and OBP (.429). Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL).
TRIPLE DIGITS: DH Yordan Alvarez reached 98 RBI last night and is looking to post the 29th 100RBI season in Astros history. Alvarez’s career high in RBI is 104, which he reached in 2021.
LEADING MAN: SS Jeremy Peña hit his fifth leadoff home run of the season last night, and the 10th of his career, a total that ranks fifth in Astros history. He now immediately trails OF Terry Puhl (13 leadoff HR) for fourth on that all-time list.
STALKING 200: 1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls. Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity to open his season last night, which sets the Astros franchise record. The previous record of converting 25 consecutive saves opportunities to begin a season was set last season by Hader as well. Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
CHAMPS!: The Class A Fayetteville Woodpeckers won the Carolina League Championship Series last night with a 7-4 win over Charleston in Game 2 of the three-game championship series. This gives the Astros two minor league champions this season, which includes the FCL Astros, who took home their respective title.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1995 – 2B Craig Biggio ties a club record by stealing four bases in an Astros 7-4 win over the Expos in Montreal. Since this date, no Astros player has recorded four steals in a 9.0-inning game.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, September 16, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network, SCHN2 (Spanish)
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 16, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers were hit by the injury bug again, as left-hander Blake Snell left Wednesday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds early due to left groin tightness.
Blake Snell left tonight's game due to left groin tightness.
Snell completed a scoreless first inning, facing the minimum after picking off first baseman Sal Stewart following his two-out single. Snell tossed just 19 pitches on Wednesday, allowing just one hit and striking out one before departing early. Blake Treinen replaced Snell for the bottom of the second inning.
If this marks the end for Snell’s 2026 regular season, he’ll finish with a 4-1 record and a 1.86 ERA, striking out 52 and walking 16, tallying 38 2/3 innings over eight starts. Snell did not allow a single home run over his eight starts.
The former Cy Young winner told reporters he went through his normal pregame routine but felt his groin grab at him on the second to last pitch of his bullpen session. He monitored it through the first inning and retired the side in just 19 pitches, after which he talked with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and did not return to the mound for the top of the second. Blake Treinen entered the game in Snell's place.
"That's what I thought was best," Snell told reporters after the Dodgers' 6-2 loss. "I'll see where I'm at day-to-day, but I should be good."
It looks as if Snell and the Dodgers dodged a bullet, which Snell credits to learning from the four previous times in his career that he's dealt with groin injuries. On two previous times, he felt a similar pull but pushed through and ended up with a strain both times. He thought the groin injuries were behind him after his last strain with the San Francisco Giants in 2024, but Snell is confident that the work he's done with stretching and injury prevention – primarily Copenhagen planks – helped on Wednesday.
And this time around, he shut it down early and avoided a more severe injury.
"For me to stop, that's a first. Maybe I'm growing up, I don't know, but that was definitely the right move," Snell said. "Next couple days, we'll see where we're at and go from there."
Both Snell and Roberts are hopeful that he can still make his next scheduled start but acknowledged that how he feels over the next days and what comes back after imaging once the team gets back to LA will determine when he pitches again. Either way, Snell wants to get at least one more start in before the postseason.
"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 told reporters. "So I think it's first, let's see how he comes in. But I'm glad it's not worse and we caught it early."
Blake Snell 2026 stats
Injuries have limited Snell to just seven starts this season, but the 33-year-old has made the most of a small sample size, posting a 1.91 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 1.09 WHIP through a career-low 37.2 innings. He's been effective when healthy, he's just rarely been healthy in 2026.
Snell began the season on the IL with left shoulder fatigue and didn't make his 2026 debut until May 9, but struggled as he gave up five runs – four of them earned – on six hits and two walks against the Atlanta Braves in just three innings pitched. He was put back on the IL six days later with loose bodies in his left elbow and underwent a minimally invasive "NanoNeedle" procedure to speed up his recovery. Snell was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 29 and began his throwing progression in early June.
Injuries have devastated the Dodgers' rotation all season, but Snell seemed to alleviate those concerns with his 1.01 WHIP since returning on Aug. 11.
Dodgers rotation
Roki Sasaki threw four simulated innings on Wednesday and is inching closer to a return after landing on the IL in late August with a blister on his right middle finger. While he'll likely pitch out of the bullpen in the postseason, Roberts told reporters that his next outing will be as a starter.
Tyler Glasnow told reporters on Sunday that he was "still figuring out some things physically" after a rough start in Miami in which he never really looked comfortable. Glasnow also missed a chunk of the season with a back issue and returned on Aug. 25 against the Braves but has struggled for the most part, giving up four runs in each of his last two starts. Roberts said that Glasnow threw his normal bullpen session on Wednesday and will pitch on an extra day of rest on Friday. He has no concerns about Glasnow's availability going forward.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Friday, September 11, 2026.
CINCINNATI –– For all their other problems lately, the Dodgers could at least cling to the fact that the heart of their starting rotation was healthy.
On Wednesday night, that threatened to suddenly change.
After just one inning and 19 pitches at Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds, left-hander Blake Snell left his start early with left groin tightness, according to the team, forced to exit with an injury that has plagued him previously in his career.
Snell said he felt his groin “grab” on the second-to-last pitch of his pregame bullpen session, and that it continued to bother him through a scoreless first in which his velocity was noticeably down.
Thus, when he returned to the dugout, he alerted the Dodgers coaching and medical staff of the issue. From there, they made what one source with knowledge of the situation described as a “precautionary” decision to remove Snell from the game.
“I was gonna try to get through five [innings],” Snell said. “But I just knew I didn’t really have a good shot at doing that and remaining healthy.”
In the immediate aftermath of the game, Snell struck a hopeful tone that –– by not attempting to pitch through the injury further –– he had avoided anything serious.
He said he and the team will monitor how he feels in the coming days, but was optimistic that he “should be good” moving forward, perhaps to even make one more start before the end of the regular season.
“[Coming out of the game] was definitely the right move,” Snell said. “Next couple days, we’ll see where we’re at and go from there. But I think I’ll be good to go.”
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Friday, September 11, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Still, any concern with Snell represents a troublesome development for the Dodgers, who have been resting their World Series three-peat hopes, first and foremost, on the strength of a starting rotation led by him, Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow.
And while manager Dave Roberts echoed that the team will take a wait-and-see approach with the two-time Cy Young Award winner, he also emphasized that they will be extremely cautious with his health so as not to risk his injury getting worse before October.
“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. “So I think it’s first, let’s see how he comes in [tomorrow]. But yeah, I mean, I guess it’s under the ‘I’m glad it’s not worse,’ and we caught it early.”
Roberts added that the Dodgers would decide whether Snell needs medical imaging on the issue once they get back to Los Angeles for the start of their final homestand of the season Friday.
When asked about the possibility of Snell starting again before the beginning of the playoffs, Roberts was noncommittal.
“We’ve got to make sure that whatever start he’s going to make, he’s going to be able to make it and come out of it healthy,” Roberts said. “I like where his head is at, but he just can’t afford any more setbacks.”
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell, center, hands the ball to manager Dave Roberts (30) as he is relieved during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Miami. AP Photo/Lynne SladkyLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell walks to the dugout before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Miami. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Lately, Snell had been perhaps the stoutest pitcher on the Dodgers staff, allowing just four runs over six starts since returning from a surgical procedure in May to remove loose bodies from his elbow.
However, injuries have been a recurring problem for him since he joined the Dodgers on a five-year, $182 million contract two offseasons ago.
He missed much of last year with a shoulder problem, though was healthy enough in the playoffs to make six outings with a 3.18 ERA en route to the club’s World Series title.
Ongoing shoulder issues sidelined him again at the start of this year, before his elbow injury popped up after his first start back in early May.
Snell has also had left groin injuries before. He missed more than a month in 2024 when he strained his groin while playing for the San Francisco Giants, and in 2022 when he suffered a similar adductor strain with the San Diego Padres. An adductor/groin strain cost him the final three weeks of the regular season in San Diego in 2021, as well.
“I use my legs a lot, just pretty explosive in my legs,” Snell said of why his groin has been a repeated issue. “And just over time, I [have had to] find ways to maintain, keep it stronger, healthy.”
If Snell were to face another extended timeline to return again now, it could put his availability for the start of the playoffs in jeopardy.
If that were to be the case, the Dodgers would have to scramble to replace him, with Roki Sasaki (who pitched four innings of live batting practice on Wednesday afternoon in what the Dodgers hope is the final step of his recovery from a blister) representing the most logical rotation alternative.
For now, however, there was at least initial hope that this episode might be more minor for the 33-year-old.
The fate of the Dodgers’ October chances could depend on it.
“We’ve got to make sure that he comes out ready to go in the postseason,” Roberts said. “So that’s kind of where my head is at personally.”
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The Atlanta Braves face off against the Chicago Cubs today looking for their ninetieth win of the season with ten games to go. Their magic number is at five and after the Cubs series they have the Astros, then the Marlins and Reds. If the Braves win this evening, there is still a world where they could get the two seed since they hold the tie breaker over the Dodgers.
JR Ritchie was likely called up to pitch tonight to ensure Chris Sale gets the extra rest he needs for the playoffs. Ritchie struggled before he was sent back down, but over his past two starts in AAA he has twenty-four strikeouts and only three walks. If Ritchie shows his AAA starts were legit, he may just earn himself a playoff roster spot.
Follow along in the comments as the Braves attempt to clinch a playoff spot.
