Blake Snell Leads Dodgers in World Series Game 1 Start

Blake Snell, the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace pitcher who signed a five-year, $182 million contract in late 2024, has overcome a challenging debut season marked by a shoulder injury and personal health scare to deliver a dominant postseason performance. Despite missing much of the regular season due to injury, Snell has posted an exceptional 0.86 ERA and 28 strikeouts across three playoff starts, earning him the Game 1 start in the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. His adaptive pitching strategy, particularly his effective changeup, has been a key factor in his postseason success. Snell's resilience and determination reflect the Dodgers' broader season narrative of overcoming injuries and inconsistencies to reach the World Series. This will be Snell's third World Series appearance, having previously started for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, and he aims to help the Dodgers secure back-to-back championships. While some Padres fans reacted negatively to praise from their minor league affiliate for Snell's Dodgers success, his performance remains a pivotal asset for Los Angeles.