The Los Angeles Dodgers received much-needed good news on Wednesday afternoon as Blake Snell is officially set to begin a rehab stint on Thursday with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the team’s Single-A affiliate. The Dodgers' rehab assignment represents the biggest step forward in Snell’s recovery process from a left shoulder injury that has sidelined him since early April.
The update was first reported by The Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett, who shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) that both Snell and teammate Blake Treinen will begin rehab assignments in the upcoming days.
“#Dodgers Blake Treinen (OKC tonight) and Blake Snell (RC Thursday) are starting rehab assignments.”
This Snell injury update comes after a long road back for the 2023 NL Cy Young winner. He was placed on the injured list back on April 3rd, retroactive to April 6th, with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. While an MRI showed no structural damage, the discomfort lingered for months. By early June, the southpaw was throwing pain-free from 120 feet, and on July 5th, he completed a bullpen session. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said at the time that a rehab assignment could be the next step.
Now that it’s confirmed, this first game action will see Snell pitch two innings for Rancho Cucamonga. It will mark his first live competition since his second start of the season. Rehab outings are a key part of building up stamina, simulating game pressure, and getting comfortable facing batters again. If all goes well, Snell could quickly progress to higher-level affiliates and rejoin the Dodgers rotation by late July.
Snell joined the Dodgers on a five-year, $182 million deal in the offseason but has made only two starts in 2025. His return could not come at a better time. The team has dealt with numerous injuries to its pitching staff and is currently in a rough stretch. After falling to the Milwaukee Brewers in extra innings on Wednesday afternoon, courtesy of a Jackson Chourio RBI single, the Dodgers have now dropped six straight games.
The left-hander, who posted a 3.12 ERA with the San Francisco Giants last season, has the pedigree to make an immediate impact down the stretch. This Dodgers rotation news signals hope for a second-half resurgence and a deeper postseason push.
