In a surprising turn of events on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers scratched star left-hander Blake Snell just hours before their series opener against the crosstown rival Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. According to The Athletic's Katie Woo, the team will instead rely on a bullpen game to cover the innings.

This decision comes only six days after Snell's long-awaited season debut, where he struggled against the Atlanta Braves in a 7-2 loss last Saturday. In that outing, the one-time All-Star allowed four earned runs and six hits over just three innings of work, while walking two batters and striking out five.

Snell had been sidelined at the start of the 2026 season due to shoulder fatigue, but Woo reports that Friday's scratch is not believed to be related to the previous inflammation. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remains optimistic about Snell's progress, describing his first start as "something to build off of" in comments to the Los Angeles Times.

For a team like the Dodgers, known for their depth and strategic flexibility, turning to a bullpen game against the Angels isn't unprecedented. It allows them to manage Snell's workload carefully during the early season, especially after his abbreviated debut. Fantasy baseball managers and Dodgers fans alike will be watching closely for updates on when Snell will take the mound again.