Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell had successful elbow surgery, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. Three bone chips were removed during the procedure. The NanoNeedle surgery the left-hander underwent has now been performed two times. It is supposed to minimize the size of the incision and shave off at least one month of recovery. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal had the same procedure a few weeks ago and has already resumed throwing bullpen sessions while on the injured list. The Dodgers have yet to announce a return timeline for Snell, but in all likelihood, it will be sometime after the All-Star Break.
Blake Snell Surgery Appears to Go Well
On The Road to Recovery
Snell has yet to be fully healthy this season. The left-hander started the year on the injured list with shoulder fatigue. The wear and tear of a long postseason in 2025 was reportedly the culprit. One wonders if the sore shoulder affected the elbow. Whatever the case, the starter said he “felt something” after his inaugural start. In that start, the two-tome Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs, four of which were earned, in just three innings. His ERA ballooned up to 12 as a result. To be fair, he did strike out five and induce a lot of soft contact, but the damage was done. The Dodgers scratched Snell from his next scheduled start, and he promptly went back on the IL.
Blake Snell underwent the NanoScope procedure today and got three bone spurs removed.
I’m told it went well.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) May 19, 2026
Not the First to Fall
Ironically, Snell cut his rehab assignment short to replace starter Tyler Glasnow, who landed on the IL with back spasms. Glasnow had to come out of a game early and seems to be sidelined annually with some sort of injury. He is going to be out longer than originally thought, as his back “flared up.” As a result, it will be some time before he throws off a mound. However, when Glasnow is healthy, he has proven to be an ace. He is 3-0 with an ERA of 2.72 and 49 strikeouts.
An Insurance Policy
The Dodgers are known to have one of the deepest starting rotations in baseball. Even so, it has taken a hit in recent days. In an attempt to shore up the starting arms and maintain a six-man rotation, the Dodgers acquired left-hander Eric Lauer from the Toronto Blue Jays. The veteran left-hander will be a long reliever out of the bullpen, but will eventually swing into the rotation as needed. Unfortunately, the Dodgers are proving that you can never have enough pitching.
Main Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
