Snell played catch Monday for the first time since getting placed on the injured list on April 7. Plus a look ahead to the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
After a week of resting his left shoulder inflammation, Blake Snell played catch at Dodger Stadium on Monday, and might do so again on Tuesday.
The left-hander's timetable for return from the injured list will likely depend on how the rest of this week plays out. From Mike DiGiovanna at the Orange County Register:
"The throw looked good, his arm action was clean," Roberts said. "He said he felt better than expected." Asked if Snell will need a minor league rehabilitation stint before returning to the rotation, Roberts said, "I think that's contingent on how long he's down for. The longer [he's down], the more possibility. If it's on the shorter side, then probably not."
WBC talk
Tyler Glasnow in an interview with Foul Territory on Monday said he'd love to pitch in the World Baseball Classic in 2026, but would depend on his health. He said he wanted to three years ago as well but was also only two starts back in his return from Tommy John surgery.
"I would love to do it, but it's one of those things where I've been hurt every single year [of the WBC]," Glasnow said. "I have my obligation and responsibility to the Dodgers and it would have to be if both of us mutually agreed 'This is fine, go and do this.' If there's any hesitation, or if I don't end the season in the best shape — I'm more focused on trying to stay healthy in season every year.
"I want to [pitch in the WBC] extremely bad, and I wanted to last time. I talked to Mark DeRosa last time when I saw him in the airport. We talked about it a little bit, and I mentioned it to the Rays, and it was just like, probably not."
"When the time comes to say yes or no, I'll have to revisit it," Glasnow added. "But my main goal is to healthy, and that's a lot of stress early in the season."
The impetus for that Glasnow conversation was that earlier Monday, Yankees outfielder and two-time MVP Aaron Judge was announced as the captain for Team USA next year at the WBC.
Mookie Betts, who played in the World Baseball Classic in 2023, said Monday he'd like to run it back in 2026 as well, telling Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, "Absolutely. I think any player would want to do it."
Golden years
Wes Parker won a World Series and six Gold Glove Awards as a first baseman in his nine years with the Dodgers before retiring as a player at just 33 years old. Kevin Baxter at the Los Angeles Times caught up with the now-85-year-old Parker about his multi-faceted life after baseball.
"I filled in those holes through volunteering, through being an actor, through golf, bridge," Parker told Baxter. "I've had a very active and varied life. That's filled up a lot of what I was missing."
