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Blake Snell will throw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Friday at Dodger Stadium, limited to fastballs only, per Dodgers manager Dave Roberts as reported by Dodger Blue. Snell is expected to throw four bullpen sessions total before advancing to the next phase of his rehab progression.

This is a meaningful step forward for Snell, who has been working his way back to the Dodgers’ rotation. The left-hander signed with Los Angeles ahead of the 2024 season after winning his second Cy Young Award with the Padres in 2023, a season in which he posted a 2.25 ERA across 32 starts. His tenure in Dodger Blue has been interrupted by injuries, which has been a frustrating reality for a pitcher whose stuff — when healthy — ranks among the best in baseball. Snell’s fastball-slider combination can be genuinely unhittable on his best days, and the fact that Friday’s session is fastball-only suggests the staff is being methodical about building him back up rather than rushing anything.

Fifteen pitches is modest volume, but that’s the point. The Dodgers have learned (sometimes the hard way) that compressing rehab timelines rarely pays off. Four bullpen sessions before moving to the next stage — likely live batting practice or a rehab start — means we’re still looking at a multi-week runway before Snell could rejoin the big league rotation. I’d estimate mid-to-late July at the earliest if everything goes smoothly, though the club hasn’t put a specific target date on his return.

For the Dodgers, getting Snell back healthy would be a significant rotation boost. Our pitching depth has been tested this season, and having a front-line arm like Snell available for the stretch run and into October is the kind of luxury that separates good teams from championship teams. The key word here is healthy — Snell has the talent, no one debates that. The question has always been availability.

The four-session bullpen plan gives Roberts and the training staff clear checkpoints to evaluate how Snell’s arm responds to increasing workload. If he clears those without setbacks, we should see him face hitters relatively soon after. This is the kind of steady, no-drama rehab news you want to hear in late June. Nothing explosive, nothing alarming — just a good pitcher taking the next step back to the mound.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: June 25, 2026 4:20 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers