Blake Snell’s tenure as a San Francisco Giant couldn’t be off to a worse start. 
After waiting all winter for a lucrative deal that never came, Snell was forced to settle for a two-year, $62-million contract with the Giants signed last month, which includes an opt-out after this season. But following a fast-tracked build-up, he struggled mightily in his first three starts of 2024. 
The 31-year-old lefty, last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner, surrendered 15 runs – all earned – on 18 hits and five walks while striking out 12 in 11.2 innings. He lost all three starts and owns an 11.57 ERA thus far. 
Snell will now miss time after the club placed him on the 15-day IL Wednesday due to a left adductor strain, retroactive to April 23. The struggling hurler was scheduled to start in the series finale against the New York Mets. 
San Francisco recalled right-hander Landen Roupp from triple-A Sacramento as a corresponding move. He’s made eight relief appearances in the majors this season, pitching to a 4.35 ERA and 4.22 FIP with seven strikeouts. 
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SFGiants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SFGiants</a> roster moves:
• LHP Blake Snell placed on the 15-day Injured List (retro to April 23) with a left adductor strain. • RHP Landen Roupp recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
&mdash; SFGiants (@SFGiants) <a href="https://twitter.com/SFGiants/status/1783176031832027217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Snell is believed to have suffered a moderate strain, per NBC Sports’ <a href="https://twitter.com/PavlovicNBCS/status/1783201721130573900">Alex Pavlovic</a>, which may cause him to miss more than the required 15 days. 
The 2018 All-Star felt discomfort in his groin following a recent bullpen session. San Francisco has two upcoming days off (Thursday, Monday) that should help the club manage its starting rotation, at least in the short term. 
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Bob Melvin&#39;s immediate reaction to Blake Snell landing on the 15-day IL, and possibly being out longer
&quot;It was a quick buildup but, reasons for the buildup. Obviously you lose him for, we don&#39;t know how long yet, is not great.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/D7EjN16huK">pic.twitter.com/D7EjN16huK</a>
&mdash; KNBR (@KNBR) <a href="https://twitter.com/KNBR/status/1783205360981180720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Without Snell, the Giants turned to Ryan Walker as an opener, a role he served several times last season. Mitch White, a multi-inning reliever acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last Saturday, will likely play an important role out of the bullpen moving forward. 
Once healthy, it’ll be crucial for Snell to be as close to fully stretched out as possible after remaining unsigned for most of spring training pushed his build-up into the regular season. As such, he didn’t pitch more than 4.2 innings in any of his first three outings. 
The Seattle, Wash., native spent the first five seasons of his big-league career with the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching in the 2020 World Series before an off-season blockbuster sent him to the San Diego Padres. 
Snell spent three seasons with the Padres, enjoying his top performance with the franchise in 2023 when he <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&amp;lg=all&amp;qual=y&amp;type=8&amp;season=2023&amp;month=0&amp;season1=2023&amp;ind=0&amp;stats=sta&amp;sortcol=16&amp;sortdir=default&amp;pagenum=1">led the majors in ERA (2.25)</a> and finished slightly ahead of Gerrit Cole (2.63), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Additionally, he posted a 3.44 FIP and a career-high 234 strikeouts over 32 starts – also a career-high. 
The idea behind signing Snell was that he and fellow off-season signee Jordan Hicks could bolster a Giants starting rotation that already featured ace Logan Webb and youngster Kyle Harrison. But so far, things haven’t exactly gone according to plan. 
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Chicago Cubs star Cody Bellinger is also heading to the injured list after suffering a fractured right rib during Tuesday&#8217;s contest versus the Houston Astros, manager Craig Counsell announced Wednesday afternoon on Chicago radio station 670 The Score.
The team plans to promote top prospect outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong from triple-A Iowa, with Bellinger expected to miss significant time.
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The Cubs are placing Cody Bellinger on the IL with a fractured right rib
Top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong has been called up to replace him <a href="https://t.co/bLagg0Brhf">pic.twitter.com/bLagg0Brhf</a>
&mdash; B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/BRWalkoff/status/1783221534644912325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Bellinger suffered the injury while crashing into the brick wall at Wrigley Field in the fourth inning of Tuesday&#8217;s 7-2 victory over the Astros.
The 28-year-old stayed in the game initially before exiting after his third at-bat in the seventh. He finished 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs batted in.
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Cody Bellinger exited the game after this play.
(📸: <a href="https://twitter.com/WatchMarquee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WatchMarquee</a>) <a href="https://t.co/RKwPc5P4Bi">pic.twitter.com/RKwPc5P4Bi</a>
&mdash; Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) <a href="https://twitter.com/CubsZone/status/1782947051312910484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After testing free agency, Bellinger &#8212; who won Comeback Player of the Year last season &#8212; re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $80-million contract over the off-season. His deal includes opt-outs after this season and the 2025 campaign.
The 2019 NL MVP got off to a slow start but had heated up recently, going 10-for-30 (.333) with three home runs and seven RBIs over his previous eight games. On the year, he&#8217;s hit five home runs, 17 RBIs and slashed .226/.320/.440 with a 103 wRC+ across 22 games.
Last season, Bellinger blasted 26 home runs and drove in 97 runs while posting a .307/.356/.525 slash line and a 134 wRC+, worth 4.3 fWAR in 130 games.

Blake Snell’s tenure as a San Francisco Giant couldn’t be off to a worse start. 

After waiting all winter for a lucrative deal that never came, Snell was forced to settle for a two-year, $62-million contract with the Giants signed last month, which includes an opt-out after this season. But following a fast-tracked build-up, he struggled mightily in his first three starts of 2024. 

The 31-year-old lefty, last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner, surrendered 15 runs – all earned – on 18 hits and five walks while striking out 12 in 11.2 innings. He lost all three starts and owns an 11.57 ERA thus far. 

Snell will now miss time after the club placed him on the 15-day IL Wednesday due to a left adductor strain, retroactive to April 23. The struggling hurler was scheduled to start in the series finale against the New York Mets. 

San Francisco recalled right-hander Landen Roupp from triple-A Sacramento as a corresponding move. He’s made eight relief appearances in the majors this season, pitching to a 4.35 ERA and 4.22 FIP with seven strikeouts. 

https://twitter.com/SFGiants/status/1783176031832027217

Snell is believed to have suffered a moderate strain, per NBC Sports’ <a href="https://twitter.com/PavlovicNBCS/status/1783201721130573900">Alex Pavlovic</a>, which may cause him to miss more than the required 15 days. 

The 2018 All-Star felt discomfort in his groin following a recent bullpen session. San Francisco has two upcoming days off (Thursday, Monday) that should help the club manage its starting rotation, at least in the short term. 

https://twitter.com/KNBR/status/1783205360981180720

Without Snell, the Giants turned to Ryan Walker as an opener, a role he served several times last season. Mitch White, a multi-inning reliever acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last Saturday, will likely play an important role out of the bullpen moving forward. 

Once healthy, it’ll be crucial for Snell to be as close to fully stretched out as possible after remaining unsigned for most of spring training pushed his build-up into the regular season. As such, he didn’t pitch more than 4.2 innings in any of his first three outings. 

The Seattle, Wash., native spent the first five seasons of his big-league career with the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching in the 2020 World Series before an off-season blockbuster sent him to the San Diego Padres. 

Snell spent three seasons with the Padres, enjoying his top performance with the franchise in 2023 when he <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&amp;lg=all&amp;qual=y&amp;type=8&amp;season=2023&amp;month=0&amp;season1=2023&amp;ind=0&amp;stats=sta&amp;sortcol=16&amp;sortdir=default&amp;pagenum=1">led the majors in ERA (2.25)</a> and finished slightly ahead of Gerrit Cole (2.63), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Additionally, he posted a 3.44 FIP and a career-high 234 strikeouts over 32 starts – also a career-high. 

The idea behind signing Snell was that he and fellow off-season signee Jordan Hicks could bolster a Giants starting rotation that already featured ace Logan Webb and youngster Kyle Harrison. But so far, things haven’t exactly gone according to plan. 

<hr />

Chicago Cubs star Cody Bellinger is also heading to the injured list after suffering a fractured right rib during Tuesday's contest versus the Houston Astros, manager Craig Counsell announced Wednesday afternoon on Chicago radio station 670 The Score.

The team plans to promote top prospect outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong from triple-A Iowa, with Bellinger expected to miss significant time.

https://twitter.com/BRWalkoff/status/1783221534644912325

Bellinger suffered the injury while crashing into the brick wall at Wrigley Field in the fourth inning of Tuesday's 7-2 victory over the Astros.

The 28-year-old stayed in the game initially before exiting after his third at-bat in the seventh. He finished 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs batted in.

https://twitter.com/CubsZone/status/1782947051312910484

After testing free agency, Bellinger -- who won Comeback Player of the Year last season -- re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $80-million contract over the off-season. His deal includes opt-outs after this season and the 2025 campaign.

The 2019 NL MVP got off to a slow start but had heated up recently, going 10-for-30 (.333) with three home runs and seven RBIs over his previous eight games. On the year, he's hit five home runs, 17 RBIs and slashed .226/.320/.440 with a 103 wRC+ across 22 games.

Last season, Bellinger blasted 26 home runs and drove in 97 runs while posting a .307/.356/.525 slash line and a 134 wRC+, worth 4.3 fWAR in 130 games.

News and Notes: Blake Snell, Cody Bellinger land on injured list

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