Los Angeles Dodgers stars Blake Snell and Teoscar Hernandez both worked out on the field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.
Snell has only made one start for the Dodgers this season, missing the beginning of the year with fatigue and landing back on the injured list after just one start with loose bodies in his elbow. Hernandez went on the injured list May 27 with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
Having both players up and partaking in baseball activities is huge for the Dodgers, who are already performing at a high level despite the absence of two of their bigger names. The Dodgers are seven games clear of the second-place San Diego Padres in the NL West, and have only lost one series since May 10.
When Will Blake Snell Be Back?
Snell underwent surgery in his elbow to remove the loose bodies in his throwing arm, but a recent development could see him return sooner than the regular three-month timeline for the injury.
The ‘NanoNeedle’ procedure does less damage to the tissue surrounding the elbow, and therefore reduces recovery time significantly.
Detroit Tigers ace and Dodgers trade target Tarik Skubal underwent the same procedure earlier in the year, and returned to the mound less than a month later. He landed on the injured list May 4, and made his first start back for the Tigers on June 13.
If Snell follows the same timeline, the Dodgers could have him back sooner rather than later.
His return would be a huge boost for the Dodgers as well, as he posted just a 2.35 ERA through 61.1 innings pitched after returning from injury in the 2025 season.
When Will Teoscar Hernandez Be Back?
Hernandez had a much more manageable injury than Snell, as his didn’t require surgery. The general timeline for recovery from a Grade 1 hamstring strainis about a month, so Hernandez is making good pace in returning from his injury.
Hernandez had just begun to turn things around for the Dodgers prior to his injury, posting an OPS of nearly .900 in May with three homers and 14 RBIs. Following a slow start to the season, Hernandez had a .276/.348/.436 slash line.
