The Los Angeles Dodgers may need to get ready for starting pitcher Blake Snell to miss the start of the season as his ramp-up for the season progresses slowly.

According to The Athletic’s Katie Woo, Snell is throwing off the flat ground, but he is still far from getting ready for a true start, with a little more than a month left until the season starts.

“Time’s ticking, but like I told him the other day, Opening Day is not necessarily a hard and fast target for us,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Snell is known for starting slow, especially given his injury-prone nature, but then pushing things up in the second half of the season.

Last season, Snell got injured early, battling with shoulder discomfort, and missing the first half, stretching the team’s depth amid a run of injuries.

However, the lefty was more than ready for the actual start of the postseason stretch, being the dominant, front-of-the-line starter that the team needed, especially with a weak bullpen.

Blake Snell learned his lesson in 2025

Snell does not seem concerned about his slow start, expressing confidence that he understands his body and is in no rush to return to the mound.

After seemingly rushing back, the Cy Young award winner wants to take things slowly.

“I’ve been playing catch, been throwing. It feels good,” Snell said at DodgerFest.

“But I’m just going to take my time. Last year, I was rushing. I wanted to pitch so bad. But I’m going to take my time. The goal is to be ready Opening Day, but I’m going to take my time. I’ll know more once I’m [at Spring Training], throwing bullpens, pitching in games.

“Last year, I had so much to prove. I got way too excited and was really pushing to get to spring, get through spring. This year, I’m going to be a little slower just in how I ramp up — be a lot more smarter on that.”

The Dodgers, meanwhile, enter the season with as much pitching depth as ever, and that will allow Roberts and the organization to give Snell all the room that he needs.

“Whatever is best for Blake — or any of our pitchers, for that matter — we’re going to do,” Roberts said.

“Where he’s at, once we get to Spring Training and how his arm feels, there’s a buildup from there. If it doesn’t line up with Opening Day, the first series, then it doesn’t.”