Dodgers hand ball to LHP Blake Snell for domestic opener

Field Level Media|published: Mon 24th March, 14:47 2025

Mar 16, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws a pitch against the Hanshin Tigers during the first inning at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to a newcomer when the club opens the domestic portion of its schedule, announcing that left-hander Blake Snell will take the mound Thursday at home against the Detroit Tigers.

Snell, 32, is a two-time Cy Young Award winner who was signed as a free agent by the Dodgers in November on a five-year, $182 million deal. He is one of two new additions to the starting rotation, along with right-hander Roki Sasaki.

Snell did not pitch in either of the Dodgers' two regular-season games of the Tokyo Series last week against the Chicago Cubs. He did pitch in an exhibition game against Japan's Hanshin Tigers when he had seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch in Friday's game against the Tigers, while Sasaki was announced as the starter against Detroit on Saturday. Yamamoto earned the win in the season opener against the Cubs last Tuesday, while Sasaki went three innings in his major league debut against the Cubs on Wednesday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Tyler Glasnow will make his 2025 debut next Monday in a home game against the Atlanta Braves, while right-hander Dustin May pitches the following day against the Braves.

Glasnow missed the final 1 1/2 months of the regular season last year, and the playoffs, with an elbow injury. May has not pitched in a regular-season game since May of 2023 following Tommy John surgery.

--Field Level Media

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