SAN DIEGO — Padres left-hander Blake Snell knew the question was coming.
“That was inevitable,” he said upon hearing it.
What does he remember about his last postseason start against the Dodgers?
“It was one of my best starts,” Snell said. “I’ll keep it at that.”
You can’t blame Snell for preferring not to rehash the specifics. He started Game 6 of the 2020 World Series and dominated in a must-win game for the Rays before getting an infamous quick hook from manager Kevin Cash in the sixth inning. The move epically backfired, as the Dodgers ended up rallying against Tampa Bay’s bullpen en route to clinching their first World Series title in 32 years.
Snell isn’t interested in dwelling in the past, though. He’ll have an opportunity to put that painful memory further in the rearview mirror when he gets the ball for the Padres in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on Friday night.
“Two years ago, man,” Snell said on Thursday. “I’ve got to flip that page, read a different book, learn, get better. I watch it, but it’s a different team. They’ve got Freddie Freeman, they’ve got Trea [Turner]. It’s just a whole different team than two years ago. It’s a different team. They’re a lot better, I think. They’ve gotten pieces that have made them a lot stronger hitting-wise.
“I can’t wait. I’m excited for the matchup. It’s something that I’m really looking forward to. I really like facing these guys because I know how good they are.”
With the best-of-five series tied at one win apiece, the Padres will be relying on Snell to deliver in another crucial matchup against the Dodgers, who will counter with right-hander Tony Gonsolin.
Snell shined in the second half of the regular season, logging a 2.19 ERA over 14 starts, but he stumbled in his NL Wild Card Series outing against the Mets on Saturday, yielding two runs and walking six batters over 3 1/3 innings in his shortest appearance since Aug. 24.
Manager Bob Melvin said he’s confident Snell will be able to rebound, particularly with the added rush of starting the Padres’ first playoff game in front of fans at Petco Park since 2006.
“You’re always going to have a tough one from time to time,” Melvin said. “He’s pitched well here at home, too. He’s comfortable with the mound, with the environment. So I think we’re going to see what we’ve seen for the better part of the second half.”
After struggling with his command against the Mets, Snell spent most of this week focusing on syncing his body to regain a more consistent release point, he said. While he’s pleased with the adjustments, he said the real test will come when he takes on Los Angeles’ disciplined lineup on Friday.
“I think they’re just so talented, and they understand the strike zone,” said Snell, who owns a 2.54 ERA in 11 career starts against the Dodgers, including his two outings in the 2020 World Series. “They usually have pretty solid game plans as a team on what they’re doing. They let their top three or four hitters kind of do what they do, and the bottom, they want to milk pitches. They want to get your pitch count up and get you out.
“But if you stay in control and you focus on the things you need to focus on to make sure that you’re executing your pitches, then you’re just as scary as they are.”
Despite his previous October heartbreak, Snell said he relishes each opportunity to pitch in the postseason and experience the thrill of competing on the biggest stage imaginable.
“It’s something that I really look forward to,” Snell said. “When I got traded, I knew I was going to be on a team that goes to the postseason a lot, which is something I’m very thankful for. I haven’t really been able to think about how many postseason starts I’ve had. I just know that it’s something that I always crave.
“It’s what makes the season and the offseason so worth it, getting to this moment, because you play in these games and you never feel this excited about a baseball game. It’s been six days, and it’s all I think about. It’s all I want to do. It’s what makes everything so worth it.
“I think that’s what makes it so much fun. Even with failure in the postseason, that doesn’t scare me, because I know that could be my biggest lesson to make me that much better for the following year.”