Dodgers' Blake Snell set to return vs. Royals as 'mission' begins

The Los Angeles Dodgers rolled out the "Welcome" banner on Monday and will amend that to read "Welcome back" on Tuesday night.

One day after Tarik Skubal made his home debut for the Dodgers, fellow left-hander Blake Snell will return from an elbow procedure Tuesday when Los Angeles hosts the Kansas City Royals in the middle contest of a three-game series.

Snell (0-1, 12.00 ERA) started the season on the injured list with shoulder fatigue, made his season debut May 9, and immediately went back on the IL because of loose bodies in his left elbow after a rocky three innings against the Atlanta Braves.

Snell has been out ever since.

After nearly two seasons with the Dodgers, he has made just 12 regular-season starts for the club, going 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA. He also made six postseason appearances (five starts) in 2025 and went 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles has Snell, 33, lined up to work five innings and throw between 75 and 80 pitches.

"I had a great conversation with (Snell on Sunday)," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He's on a mission. And I like when great, talented players have that mindset. He hasn't, unfortunately, been a part of this whole season. But from here on out, it's a sprint and he is very focused. Like I said, he's on a mission."

Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA in five career starts against the Royals, with just one of those outings coming since the start of the 2020 season.

Skubal pitched a pedestrian five innings, by his standards, on Monday as he allowed three runs on four hits with six strikeouts. But the Dodgers scored three times on a Max Muncy triple in the sixth inning and went ahead for good in the seventh on a Freddie Freeman single for a 6-5 victory.

Kansas City is set to send right-hander Michael Wacha (5-8, 3.44 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday.

In nine career starts against Los Angeles, he is 1-6 with an 8.34 ERA. Like Snell, just one of Wacha's outings against his next opponent has come since the start of 2020.

While Wacha is in his 14th major league season, the Royals just added a pitcher in his 17th season. Right-handed reliever Craig Kimbrel was signed and added to the roster Monday, while right-hander Easton McGee was optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

Kimbrel was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays last week and elected for free agency once he cleared waivers.

"He's going to pitch in different roles," said Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro, who did not use Kimbrel on Monday. "Could be early, could be late, depending on who's available. But his presence, his accountability, all the things that have made him great over the years (can) rub off on some of the young guys as we continue to build."

The Royals could use whatever help they can get for a bullpen that entered the series with a 5.36 ERA, which was next-to-last in the major leagues. Their 359 strikeouts from the relievers were last in the American League and third from the bottom in the majors.

Offensively, the Royals got a home run and three RBIs Monday from Jac Caglianone and a two-run homer from Kyle Isbel.

--Field Level Media