Dodgers get bad news on Blake Snell for Opening Day chances originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the best starting rotations in Major League Baseball. Shohei Ohtani looks to be a full-go this year, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto will lead this top-tier rotation.

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But, it’s not all good for the Dodgers entering the 2026 MLB season. One of their top starters, lefty Blake Snell, is still dealing with an injury.

According to Jack Harris of The California Post, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed an update on Snell’s recovery, and it’s not a good look for the $136 million Cy Young ace.

Dodgers get bad news on Blake Snell for Opening Day

“Dave Roberts said Blake Snell has been making progress in his throwing progression (which, for now, has still been limited to flat-ground sessions),” Harris reports. “But he acknowledged that, given the calendar, it’s gonna be ‘hard’ for him to be ready for Opening Day.”

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Snell, the 33-year-old veteran left-hander coming off a 2.35 ERA season in 2025 across only 11 starts, is going to miss the beginning of the season for the Dodgers.

While the rotation in Los Angeles is full of incredible pitchers, the injury issues have made their rotation shaky at times.

Snell’s issue, a shoulder problem that’s been lingering for a while, isn’t going away just yet. He’s going to miss some more time in 2026.

More: Giants get great news on top prospect Carson Whisenhunt with huge velocity increase

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When Snell is on the mound, he’s one of the top pitchers in baseball. He has a career ERA of 3.15. His lone season with the Dodgers wasn’t a long one, but he still managed to play a big role, pitching 34 innings in the World Series run with a 3.18 ERA.

But, considering the massive $136.9 million contract he signed with the Dodgers, he needs to pitch more than 11 games in 2026 to make it worth the Dodgers.

Roberts update is a tough one for the Dodgers, as Snell is going to miss some time to begin the year. The All-Star lefty is a big piece of the rotation, and getting him back as soon as possible would be huge for the defending World Series champions.

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