Blake Snell to have elbow surgery, but Dodgers hope for quicker recovery

Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell is set to undergo surgery next Tuesday to remove loose bodies from his elbow, according to manager Dave Roberts, but there is optimism he could return sooner than the 2-3 months such procedures typically require.While the exact nature of the operation Snell will have next week is still being determined, multiple sources told The California Post that there is hope he will be able to utilize a new medical technology called the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0 — which is a smaller version of a typical arthroscope that allows for less invasive procedures and a potentially faster recovery time.On May 6, two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal became the first known major-league pitcher to have such a procedure, which was performed by renowned sports surgeon Dr.Neal ElAttrache (who is the Dodgers’ head team physician and will also perform Snell’s surgery).Already, Skubal is back to playing catch.

And according to The Post’s Jon Heyman, he could return in as little as six weeks.Snell’s exact timeline won’t be clear until his surgery is completed, according to sources.But Roberts said “it’s supposed to be a lot quicker recovery,” citing the surgical options that would be available for the 33-year-old pitcher.Snell had a more traditional loose-body removal to address the same elbow problem in 2019 while he was playing with the Rays.

That year, he missed two months before returning to the mound.Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz also had loose bodies removed from his elbow last month.He is expected to be sidelined until the second half of the year.The reason Snell’s current situation makes him a candidate for the NanoNeedle procedure, one source said, is because of where the loose bodies in his elbow are located.As ElAttrache explained in an interview with The Athletic while discussing Skubal’s recent surgery, the NanoNeedle method also has little downside.

If it’s unable to remedy the problem, a traditional arthroscop...