Blake Snell exits early as Dodgers fall to Reds

CINCINNATI — The Dodgers came to Great American Ball Park on Wednesday night with a chance to celebrate.

Instead, they left with a 6-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, a 92-60 record and a much more pressing concern surrounding Blake Snell.

The Dodgers needed one more victory to clinch the National League West, but there was no champagne waiting for them in the clubhouse. The division celebration will have to wait.

The loss itself was secondary to what happened to Snell.

The left-hander exited after just 19 pitches with left groin tightness, turning what was supposed to be another important start down the stretch into another question mark for the Dodgers' rotation.

Snell said he felt a grab in his groin on the second-to-last pitch of his bullpen session before the game.

“I felt good all day and then the second to last pitch of the bullpen, I threw a slider and I felt a grab.”

He tried to pitch through it in the first inning, but the issue didn't improve.

“I was gonna try to get through five, but I just knew I didn't have a good shot of doing that and remaining healthy,” Snell said.

Snell has dealt with groin issues in the past, though the Dodgers did not believe he had any lingering concern entering Wednesday's start. Snell said the injury does not feel as severe as previous groin problems, and he wants to see how he feels over the next couple of days.

That wait-and-see period could be important for a Dodgers team preparing for October.

Dave Roberts said another start for Snell remains a possibility, but the Dodgers need to be confident that he can make it through without another setback.

“I like where his head is at, but he just can't afford any more setbacks,” Roberts said.

Snell's early departure forced the Dodgers to navigate the rest of the night without one of their key starters. The bullpen kept the game within reach, but Cincinnati eventually pulled away.

The Dodgers actually struck first.

Will Smith put the Dodgers ahead in the third inning, sending a ball the other way for an RBI double. But the lead lasted only briefly.

Elly De La Cruz answered in the bottom half of the inning, crushing a two-run homer off Seth Halvorsen to put the Reds ahead 2-1. Cincinnati never surrendered the lead.

The Dodgers had opportunities to make things interesting. They simply couldn't cash them in.

The Dodgers went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 baserunners, leaving too many chances on the field in a game where one or two timely hits could have changed the outcome.

Mookie Betts provided one of the few consistent bright spots offensively, going 3-for-4.

Kris Bubic also made his Dodgers debut and delivered a scoreless eighth inning, giving the Dodgers a clean frame in his first appearance with the club.

But the night ultimately belonged to the questions surrounding Snell and the missed opportunity to clinch.

The Dodgers will get another chance Thursday.

Justin Wrobleski is scheduled to start the series finale, with Landon Knack expected to handle a bulk of the game behind him.

For now, the Dodgers remain one win away from securing another NL West title.

But after Wednesday night, the division-clinching celebration is no longer the biggest story surrounding this team. Snell's left groin is.