Blake Snell has delivered three quality starts this month for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The veteran left-hander will look to continue that streak in Detroit on Saturday afternoon against the Tigers.
Snell’s return from an elbow injury was delayed until earlier this month. He had begun the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue before making one start May 9. He subsequently underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. He’s quickly reestablished himself as one of the top pitchers in the majors.
He’s given up just two runs and seven hits while recording 21 strikeouts in 18 innings over his last three outings. Snell (2-1, 2.57 ERA) held Pittsburgh to two hits over six scoreless innings on Sunday while collecting his second straight victory.
However, Snell was far from satisfied with his performance. He issued three two-out walks, preventing him from going deeper into the game.
“It’s not acceptable,” Snell said. “I feel good, I know I can command the ball. Honestly, it’s lazy. It’s me trying to get strikeouts instead of trying to go seven, eight, nine. So, I definitely got to clean that up.”
Snell missed a good chunk of last season, then pitched well down the stretch and won three consecutive playoff starts.
“I think he’s had a lot of practice in going from one mode to another,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Like he told me, his words: ‘It’s the playoffs for me, right now from the outset.’ So he’s showing that. The games are going to get more intense as we get into September and beyond. But love what we see.”
Snell faced the Tigers early last season, giving up two runs in five innings. He’s 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA in four career appearances (all starts) against Detroit.
Right-hander Keider Montero (9-8, 3.30) will start for Detroit. Montero hasn’t pitched since giving up three runs in five innings at Pittsburgh on Aug. 18. All those runs scored in the fifth inning.
The Tigers decided to skip Montero’s next scheduled start after he showed signs of fatigue. He has pitched a career-high 133 2/3 innings in the majors this season.
“We’re paying attention to his recovery coming off his last outing,” manager A.J. Hinch said early this week. “He had that long inning and the recovery hasn’t been fast. … We’re just giving him a blow. It’s not uncommon this time of year, especially with the off days coming up. We’re trying to be smart, pushing these guys when they need to be pushed, but also pulling back when they need to be pulled back.”
Montero faced the Dodgers once during his rookie year in 2024, giving up five runs in five innings.
The Tigers have lost eight of their last nine games, including the series opener on Friday. Freddie Freeman knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory.
Los Angeles, which snapped a three-game losing streak, left 15 runners on base. But the Tigers couldn’t take advantage as they were held to five hits and struck out 12 times. Detroit was blanked in its previous game against Tampa Bay.
Saturday’s game figures to be less emotionally charged. Former Tigers ace Tarik Skubal pitched at Comerica Park for the first time since he was traded earlier this month. He gave up one run in six innings and wound up with a no-decision.
–Field Level Media
