Blake Snell's Schedule Behind Rest of Dodgers' Starting Rotation

Blake Snell dealt with left shoulder inflammation last year that caused him to miss four months and wound up returning during the World Series.

Snell did not publicly reveal his second bout with shoulder trouble until the offseason. It caused a delay in his throwing program over the winter as the 33-year-old prioritized physical therapy and rest.

"I know the day I went into PT to the day I left, it's night and day in strength and how it feels," Snell said during his appearance at DodgerFest.

Snell added surgery would not be necessary but that he planned to adjust his approach to Spring Training this year.

"I'm just going to take my time. Last year, I was rushing. I wanted to pitch so bad," he recalled. "I feel good. I'm just going to go slower. Last year, I had so much to prove, I got way too excited and I was really pushing to get to spring, get through spring.

"This year, I'm going to be a little slower in how I ramp up. Be a little more smarter on that, but I feel good."

Snell taking a more deliberate approach in camp has resulted in not yet throwing a bullpen session. That's unlike fellow projected members of the Dodgers' rotation, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Emmet Sheehan. So too have River Ryan and Gavin Stone.

Yamamoto, Glasnow, Sheehan, Stone and Ohtani have already faced hitters in live batting practice.

"He's playing catch, he's throwing," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Snell. "Once he gets off the mound, throws in the 'pen, faces some hitters, we'll know more. But obviously he's not there right now, so until he gets off the mound, I just really don't know."

Blake Snell part of Dodgers exercising caution

Roberts indicated Snell should throw his first bullpen session of the spring "in the foreseeable future" and downplayed any reason for concern.

The left-hander has fallen under the Dodgers' overall approach in cautiously handling their players and keeping October in mind.

"I think when he's ready to make the progression is when he's ready. Like I said, I think, the first day, there's no hard line dates for any of our players. There really isn't," Roberts reiterated.

"I think we have a ton of depth, a lot of able players, and we're not going to push any position player, let alone a pitcher, to be ready for whatever date. I know Mark's (Prior) kind of got it on his calendar, (but) I'm not sure exactly what date that is though."

Having already ruled out Tommy Edman for the Opening Day roster, the Dodgers aren't quite at the point of doing the same with Snell even if he appears unlikely to be ready.

"I guess it's a wait and see," Roberts said.