Dodgers Pitching Staff Could Have Surprise Workhorse in 2025

Blake Snell is eager to get started after signing a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason. He's also ready to take on added responsibility with three starters coming back from season-ending injuries.

The left-hander could even be a surprise "workhorse" for the Dodgers this season.

“I think I’m a very talented pitcher. I think I’m a workhorse,” Snell told The Athletic. “I’ve got to go more innings. I’ll get there. I’m not in a sprint to get there. I’m just trying to get better every day.”

Three Dodgers starters — Shohei Ohtani, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin — are recovering from major elbow surgeries.

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Additionally, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are coming off significant arm injuries, and Roki Sasaki, the other new addition alongside Snell, is just 23 and has never pitched more than 129.1 innings in a season in Japan.

Snell has surpassed 130 innings only twice in his MLB career, reaching around 180 innings both times. Despite the limited workload, he won the Cy Young award both seasons — first with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 and again with the San Diego Padres in 2023.

He's expecting to pitch more this season.

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“The last four or five years, I’m starting to really figure out how to pitch, how to go deeper, learning a lot, watching a lot of good pitchers that were on my teams,” Snell said, mentioning the Padres' Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, as well as the Giants’ Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. “It’s something I want to get better at. Now I’m here with Kershaw. I couldn’t think of someone better to talk to, to learn how to be a better version of yourself.”

Snell has admired Clayton Kershaw throughout his career, and now, with his locker next to Kershaw's, he's poised to learn from the veteran.

"You see Kershaw, that's crazy to me. That's like the coolest thing I think I've done in my career is pitching in front of him..."

Blake Snell reacts to his first #SpringTraining bullpen with the @Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/rUPDjHRVEc
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 12, 2025

Snell's next goal is to reach 200 innings.

“I think health and quality starts, those are my goals,” Snell said. “If that’s where it leads, sure. But quality starts is probably my biggest focus. If you have quality starts, you’ll get to 200.”

While reaching 200 innings might seem daunting, Snell’s mindset could get him there.

“I came here to pitch as much as possible,” Snell added.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.