The final week of the regular season is here, and the Dodgers are really sorting things out, hoping to kick off their postseason run in the National League Division Series on October 3 instead of that wild card round on September 29. Blake Snell, who had to leave his start last Wednesday due to left groin discomfort, just threw a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium before Tuesday’s game, a massive step forward for the pitching staff.
Snell’s Return Kicks Off Final Week Pitching Puzzle
Snell getting back on the mound is huge. Manager Dave Roberts has him penciled in to start this Saturday in San Francisco against the Giants. Talk about a critical return, right? Meanwhile, Tarik Skubal, who’s been on the bereavement list, is slated to start Friday night at Oracle Park. Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound Wednesday, and Tyler Glasnow gets the ball Thursday against the Padres. This rotation alignment is locked in, and it’s all about getting guys primed for what’s next.
A Roster Battle Ignites With Limited Time To Impress
While Snell gets ready, another key roster puzzle is heating up. On Tuesday, reliever Will Klein, who’s been on the 60-day injured list with elbow discomfort, pitched a simulated inning against Dalton Rushing. Klein isn’t eligible to be activated until September 30 at the earliest, but he looks like he’s trying to stay sharp for a potential late postseason addition, just like in 2025 when he wasn’t active until the World Series and delivered five scoreless innings. Roberts made it clear: “With Will it’s more get healthy, show that you’re healthy, throw to some hitters. He’ll throw during the week off, then we’ll kind of see if there’s an opportunity later on in the postseason, sort of like last year.”
Rushing, on the other hand, is trying to fight his way back from elbow discomfort he got while practicing throwing. His potential role is a left-handed bat off the bench, a spot currently held by Josue De Paula. And here’s the kicker: Shohei Ohtani is expected to be activated Wednesday, barring any unforeseen setbacks. That basically means Rushing and De Paula are now in a direct battle for a postseason roster spot. Roberts mentioned the plan is to activate Rushing this week to “literally get back into the swing of things.” The skipper knows it’s a tough call, saying, “Quality of at-bat, conducting an at-bat obviously, the ability to swing at strikes, take balls, get on base, get a hit. There’s potential slug with both guys. I think it’s a good debate.” But he also acknowledged, “And to be quite frank, it’s going to be tougher for Dalton given the time he’s missed, and to think that you have [three] games to get back into playoff form, it’s tough to do.”
With the Dodgers lining up against the Padres on Wednesday and Thursday, then heading to San Francisco for the weekend series, these next few games are absolutely critical. Every pitch, every at-bat matters. Can Rushing prove he’s ready to contribute with such limited time, or will De Paula hold onto that valuable bench spot? The final decisions are coming fast, and they’re going to shape the team’s look for the main event.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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