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Dodgers Notes: Blake Snell’s Surprise Retirement Timeline, LA Linked to Teruaki Sato, Shohei Ohtani Two-Way Future

Catch up on all the latest Dodgers news and notes.
Oct 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) sits in the dugout after being relieved during the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.  Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Oct 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) sits in the dugout after being relieved during the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Blake Snell provided a surprising answer into his personal timeline regarding when he will retire from the game of baseball. He spoke with the California Post's Dylan Hernandez earlier this month about a feeling of being misunderstood, and how much longer he wants to keep playing.

“I just wish people would watch me pitch and then understand the work that I put into being a good pitcher, great pitcher, is a lot more than they’ve ever experienced or give me credit for,” Snell said. “Because I watch the game, I understand the hitters. I understand who they are right now in the present. I understand who they are as a hitter.”

In other news, the Dodgers have yet again been linked to a star baseball player from Japan. This time, it's slugging third baseman Teruaki Sato.

The Dodgers were recently listed as a top landing spot for the 27-year-old who is coming off a season hitting .306 with 39 home runs and an OPS of .991.

Sato will require a high price tag for not only his posting fees, but for his soon-to-be former team in Nippon Professional Baseball (the Hanshin Tigers) getting a cut of his first contract in MLB (and potentially beyond). Max Muncy is also currently the third baseman of the two-time defending champions, so if Sato made his way to LA, he could theoretically start in the outfield.

Finally, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman spoke on the pitching future of superstar Shohei Ohtani.

The four-time MVP was shut down from pitching this past July and didn't end up pitching for the rest of the season. Friedman made it clear that since a talent like Ohtani hasn't been seen in over a century, managing his two-way talents to the most effective degree (and to ensure Ohtani is on the mound in the postseason) will be another discussion this offseason.

“This is unprecedented, what he’s doing,” Friedman said. “So obviously for us it’s unprecedented. We don’t have any experience to draw from. We can’t go look at how other situations have played out to try to learn from the good and the bad. We have to all just figure it out together."

Here’s all the latest Dodgers news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Dodgers' Blake Snell Reveals Shocking Retirement Timeline

Dodgers Listed as Top Landing Spot for Newest Japanese Slugger Joining MLB

Dodgers Send Clear Message on Shohei Ohtani's Future as Two-Way Player

Los Angeles Dodgers' Pending Free Agents' Market Values Revealed

Dodgers Tweets of the Day

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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