Injured San Francisco Giants Star Inches Closer to Return After Successful Rehab Start

Blake Snell was back on the mound on Friday as the injured San Francisco Giants pitcher tries to get healthy.

Apr 19, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Oracle Park. / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Blake Snell pitched three innings for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, his latest injury rehab start for the San Francisco Giants.

The stint represented progress, as the left-hander was unable to get out of the second inning in a game against Round Rock on Sunday.

In Friday’s game against Las Vegas, Snell allowed three earned runs and four hits while he threw 62 pitches. He struck out six and walked one, along with giving up a home run. It was his fourth start in the minors this year.

He also stretched out by 11 pitches from his last outing.

Snell went just 1.2 innings in the Round Rock outing, as he allowed two earned runs and three hits, walked three and struck out none. He left the game in the second with the bases loaded.

The Giants were hoping to get much more out of the two-time Cy Young winner, but it’s turned into a rough year for the 31-year-old. When San Francisco signed him in late March, the belief was that he had kept himself in shape enough to start the season in the Majors and pitch his way into shape.

But the reigning Cy Young winner has been ineffective and has struggled to remain healthy.

He is 0-3 with a 9.51 ERA in six starts with 31 strikeouts and 14 walks.

He took three turns in the rotation before he suffered a left adductor muscle injury that put him on the 15-day injured list in mid-April, which caused him to miss a month.

When he returned he made a start against Pittsburgh and then went straight to the paternity list awaiting the birth of his child. He spent 72 hours on that list but returned to make his next turn on May 27.

He then went back on the 15-day IL on June 3, a day after he left a start against the New York Yankees with a groin injury. The injury was not related to his previous injury.

All of it has added up to Snell not being the pitcher he was a year ago, when he went 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA in 32 starts with 234 strikeouts and 99 walks.

Snell signed a two-year deal with the Giants, which includes a player opt-out after this season. He has a 71-58 career record with a 3.35 ERA, 1,254 strikeouts and 465 walks. He spent the first five years of his career with Tampa Bay (2016-20) before he was traded to the Padres (2021-23).