The San Francisco Giants placed left-handed pitcher Blake Snell on the injured list on Wednesday, just hours ahead of his scheduled start against the Cleveland Guardians. Snell, who is dealing with a left adductor strain, was replaced on the 26-player roster by right-hander Sean Hjelle. The Giants will open their series against the Guardians with a bullpen game.
Snell, 31, is the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. He signed with the Giants in mid-March following a drawn-out free-agent market. In three appearances to date, he has amassed an 11.57 ERA (35 ERA+) and a 2.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Snell has yet to complete five innings in a start.
According to studies, pitchers suffering from adductor strains miss an average of 29 days. However, it’s important to note that every pitcher and every injury is different, meaning that Snell may end up missing more or less time. It’s possible that the Giants will be without Snell for about a month.
Snell is the fourth Giants starter to be placed on the IL this season. He joins fellow lefty Carlos Rodón (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and righties Anthony DeSclafani (hip surgery) and Alex Wood (vascular surgery).
The Giants will need to decide who will take Snell’s place in the rotation. Hjelle is a possibility, as he is already on the 40-player roster and made a spot-start earlier this year. However, it’s worth noting that Hjelle’s start did not go particularly well.
The Giants enter Wednesday with a 12-13 record on the year. They are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for third place in the NL West, two games back of the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
