Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he believes he still has a lot left in the tank.
Snell, 33, just finished his 11th MLB season, concluding his second year with the Dodgers. He has been solid for the Dodgers over the course of his two season, but has only made 20 starts across both campaigns. He has a 2.16 ERA as a Dodger through 104 innings, though, striking out 127 batters.
The southpaw struggled with shoulder fatigue, loose bodies in his elbow and brief groin discomfort, keeping him on the injured list for all but nine starts outing the regular season.
Snell knows he’s one of the best in the game and is well aware of his injury troubles, and is setting some lofty goals for himself in the future.
How Does Blake Snell Want His Career to Work Out?
Per Dylan Hernandez of The California Post, Snell said he wants to pitch until he’s 45, which would mean he envisions at least 11 more seasons for himself in the majors.
Additionally, Snell wants to make the Hall of Fame—as most baseball players do. That being said, he understands his last two seasons wouldn’t warrant a selection and is using his offseason to get right in the injury department.
“I have a lot to do to make sure my body can hold,” Snell said. “The last two years, I’ve gotten 10 starts a year. That’s not Hall of Fame in my mind. So this offseason is super important. How do I attack it? How do I get my body right? How am I able to make sure I can pitch 30 games, and then on top of that, the postseason? There’s a lot of stuff to prove for myself.”
Snell also spoke about the lack of All-Star selections in his career, as he’s only made the Midsummer Classic once despite winning two Cy Young awards.
“I’ve never been selected as an All-Star straight up,” Snell said. “That’s the craziest thing. I got selected when someone got hurt. That’s not making the All-Star team.”
Regardless of how the last two seasons have panned out, Snell is still a supremely talented pitcher and has more than enough quality to earn both an All-Star spot and a Hall of Fame statue. He’ll hope to put together his first fully healthy season with the Dodgers in 2027, when the team looks to make their way back to the World Series after a disappointing end to 2026.