The 2020 MLB season is obviously still very much in the air, but Blake Snell is inching closer towards being game-ready.
Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reported that the Tampa Bay Rays ace threw a bullpen session on Friday afternoon, marking his first time throwing off a mound since spring training was brought to a halt in March. Tolentino adds that Snell’s session consisted of 15 pitches that were all fastballs.
Snell, the former Cy Young winner, dealt with soreness and inflammation in his throwing elbow over the spring and had to get a cortisone shot to ease the pain. It was a concerning development after Snell also underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in the elbow last season.
The left-hander was one of the first players to speak out against the possibility of taking a paycut once it became clear the season would likely be significantly shorter. While that is still a major point of contention between the league and the MLBPA, it sounds like Snell may be physically ready for whatever happens with the 2020 campaign.
