The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a late change to their starting rotation, scratching left-hander Blake Snell just hours before Friday's series opener against the crosstown rival Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. Right-handed reliever Will Klein will take the mound instead, with the team reportedly opting for a bullpen game, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

The move comes only six days after Snell's long-awaited season debut, where he struggled against the Atlanta Braves in a 7-2 loss. In that outing, the one-time All-Star allowed four earned runs and six hits over just three innings of work, while issuing two walks and striking out five batters.

Snell's 2026 campaign got off to a delayed start due to shoulder fatigue that required a slower-paced offseason, keeping him sidelined for the first six weeks of the season. However, Woo reports that Friday's absence is not believed to be related to that previous shoulder inflammation—a silver lining for Dodgers fans hoping to see the star pitcher regain his form.

Despite Snell's rough season debut, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remained optimistic, describing the performance as "something to build off of" in comments to the Los Angeles Times. After all, Snell did manage to punch out five Braves batters in that abbreviated start, showing flashes of the dominance that made him a key piece of the Dodgers' rotation.

For now, the Dodgers will lean on their bullpen to navigate the first of a two-game Freeway Series against the Angels. With Snell's health status still being clarified, all eyes will be on how the team manages their pitching staff in the coming days—and whether the lefty can bounce back from this latest setback.