Blake Snell Says He Avoided Worse Injury After Dodgers Groin Scare

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell said he felt something “grab” in his groin during his bullpen session warm-up ahead of his start against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, Sept. 16th.

Snell only pitched one inning before exiting the game, in what was described as “groin tightness,” according to the team.
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After the game, Snell told the media he’ll take things day to day and won’t fully commit to one final start before the regular season ends, but he felt he should be good to pitch for the season’s final stretch.

“I strained it 4 different times… for me to stop, that’s a first. That was definitely the right move,” Snell said.

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Sep 16, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Snell has a track record of groin injuries, and given his experience with them, he felt confident in his reading — this one is not as severe as past ones, and he did not try to push.

In the past, when he pitched through groin issues, things got worse, and he felt like he avoided that kind of scenario.

Snell’s injury record and the Dodgers’ current string of setbacks may make the organization hesitant to let him pitch again in the regular season unless they are fully confident it will only help him prepare for the postseason.

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Sep 16, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Snell has a long history of groin injuries. He had a left adductor strain in 2021, which cut his season short because it came in September.

Snell had another in April 2022, and then another in April 2024, both of which resulted in an absence of three weeks to a month.

Finally, he had one in June 2024 following an aggravation. This one led to a 15-day IL stint.