Blake Snell fans four in OKC rehab outing, nears Dodgers return
Blake Snell hit 97.4 mph and struck out four over four innings in OKC, giving Dodgers fans a vivid look at a rotation ace nearing his return.
Blake Snell looked every bit like a major-league arm in motion Sunday, touching 97.4 mph and missing bats over four innings for the Oklahoma City Comets in Round Rock, Texas. In his third rehab start and first with Oklahoma City, the two-time Cy Young Award winner worked 55 pitches, threw 37 strikes, and showed the kind of velocity and command that can change a Dodgers rotation in a hurry.
Snell allowed two earned runs on two hits, including one home run, and walked one while striking out four against the Round Rock Express. The final line was not spotless, but the important detail for Los Angeles was the shape of the outing: four full innings, a healthy pitch count, and enough swing-and-miss to suggest the left-hander is close to being built back up for a return to the big leagues. After beginning his rehab work with Single-A Ontario, this was the first time he did it against Triple-A competition, and the stuff held.
The outing came with the Dodgers still managing the ripple effects of his absence. Snell opened the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue, and his rehab assignment has been about more than simply checking boxes. It has been about restoring innings, sharpening timing, and proving he can handle the workload that comes with anchoring a contender’s rotation. The current expectation is that he could be back in Los Angeles in mid-May, with other projections pointing toward the end of the month.
For Oklahoma City, Snell’s start fit inside a broader statement night. The Comets beat the Round Rock Express 10-3, won their first road series of 2026, and moved back above .500 for the first time since April 22. That made the game useful for the standings and electric for the crowd, which got a glimpse of a frontline starter working his way back toward Dodger blue in real time.
The next step is obvious. Snell has now completed the kind of rehab outing that makes a return feel imminent, and the Dodgers will soon have to make room for a pitcher whose presence can alter the shape of the entire staff.
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