It was a night of high hopes and tough lessons at Dodger Stadium as Blake Snell made his season debut on his own bobblehead night—but the Atlanta Braves had other plans, spoiling the celebration with a decisive 7-2 victory.
Snell, taking the mound for the first time since his Game 7 World Series appearance last fall, showed the expected rust of a delayed start. The left-hander, who began the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue, was called up early to replace Tyler Glasnow (back spasms). From the first pitch, it was clear he'd need time to find his groove.
Atlanta jumped on Snell immediately. A leadoff single from Mauricio Dubón, a walk to Drake Baldwin, and Ozzie Albies' bunt single loaded the bases in the first inning. After Matt Olson struck out, Dubón scored on a fielder's choice, and Snell needed 25 pitches just to escape the frame. The Braves weren't done. In the second inning, they loaded the bases again, and Albies delivered a two-run single before Olson added another RBI single. By the time the dust settled, the Dodgers trailed 5-0.
Snell's night ended after three innings and 77 pitches, allowing four earned runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts. It wasn't the debut he—or the Dodger faithful—had hoped for, but given his extended layoff, it was a step forward in building arm strength.
Meanwhile, Braves ace Spencer Strider was in midseason form, allowing just one hit and striking out seven over six dominant innings before handing the ball to the bullpen. The Dodgers' offense, which had silenced Braves star Chris Sale the night before, remained quiet until the ninth inning—too little, too late.
The loss drops the Dodgers to 24-15, narrowing their NL West lead to just one game over the surging San Diego Padres. For Atlanta, the win extends their division lead to eight games over Washington, solidifying their spot as the team to beat in the NL East.
From the bullpen, Jack Dreyer and Edgardo Henriquez each put in work, but Atlanta's bats stayed hot. Michael Harris II—the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year—continued his torrid stretch with an RBI double, his fifth hit in two days.
For Dodgers fans, the night was a reminder that even the best teams have off nights. But with a long season ahead, Snell's debut—rusty as it was—offers a glimpse of what could be once he's fully ramped up. After all, every ace needs a tune-up before they can dominate.