SAN FRANCISCO – Blake Snell threw a bullpen session before Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels and may face hitters in the next step of his rehabilitation from a left groin strain suffered in a June 2 start against the New York Yankees.
Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, has been on the injured list since June 3 and is eligible to come off it on Tuesday.
What happens next has yet to be determined, although manager Bob Melvin expects Snell to face some sort of live hitting.
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“He’ll need to do something, whether he’s facing hitters or a simulated situation or one game,” Melvin told reporters at Oracle Park. “He’ll need to do something where he’s facing hitters in a game-like situation.”
Snell’s first season with the Giants has been a bumpy one, for sure.
The 31-year-old left-hander has not pitched a full five innings in any of his six starts this season, Winless at 0-3 with a 9.51 ERA – the highest of his career and far and away the highest among all of San Francisco’s starting pitchers.
Snell’s inability to pitch deep into games is symptomatic of the Giants’ entire rotation this season. San Francisco’s starters have logged the third-fewest innings this season, which has put a strain on the bullpen.
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This is Snell’s second stint on the IL this season. He also missed time while on the Paternity List.
“We’ll see how feels, what’s next for him,” Melvin said. “But (he) seems to be progressing, throwing all his pitches. Kind of an up-and-down type thing today where he simulated an inning after he got loose. We’ll talk about later what’s next for him.”
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