Blake Snell (6-14-25)

And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talking. It's nel Zilla Saturday, and he has worked up a lather already. I was told by one of my vass A moles that when they pulled into the parking lot there was a guy in a hoodie, a Dodger hoodie, sweating, you know what, running the parking lot getting ready for the big comeback. And that's our guy, Blake Snow, can you confirm or deny that it was you and not my other favorite Blake, Blake tryning.

I could have been you know, two people running. Who knows?

Are you not going to let us know that if we pull into the Dodger Stadium parking lot and we see a tall, skinny guy from Seattle running in a hoodie, it's not you.

Could be comfordo. You know, it could be anybody.

Hey, it feels like we talked about this a couple of saturdays ago. You can feel things are starting to get closer for your return. Is everything that you're doing kind of telling us that story?

Yeah? No, I mean I'm starting to feel good. Bullpen was good yesterday, and it's all yeah, it's all getting better. I'm just excited to play and pitch and you know, do what I love. So oh, no, man fired up?

How many laps around the stadium parking lot today?

Just one and then a bunch of Yeah, not a bunch of stadium stairs.

That's the snail zilla. I know that's getting ready to make a start.

Yeah, no, I mean I really want to so, you know, hopefully get it going. And yeah, I can't wait.

All right, Tomorrow's Father's Day. Blake is a brand new daddy, got another one coming on the way. What's Father's Day like for you?

Now?

I know you're close to your pops. He's a big influence on your life in the last few years. What's it like?

I mean, yeah, for me to be a dad, I mean, it's the biggest blessing. I'm so lucky to be a dad. So seeing him every day, Yeah, this makes me happy. You know, you get I get nervous about everything with him. I saw share like everything is the best for him. But yeah, I'm beyond spoiled with him. I mean, he's happy. He's just the best. Like yeah, I mean I'm so pumped about it. So I don't know what it'll mean until I experience it. But No, it's yeah, the biggest blessing I have outside of my wife.

Yeah, I know that's what you care about. Being a dad is so important to you.

Yeah, it's the best, It's it's everything, it's you know. I get to see if I can be a good dad and make him a better man than me, and that's.

The goal, no doubt. I think you're doing a pretty good job so far.

Time will tell.

I have a great trust in you because that's the person that you are now. Today is not only snow Zillas Saturday, it's Kershaw Day. Clayton Kershaw just seventeen strikeouts away from three thousand. Do you know that there's only three pitchers in baseball history that have three thousand strikeouts?

And he's going for it. He's gonna get it.

Hey, I know you were excited to be teammates with him. I know you're not pitching simultaneous simultaneously just yet. But what's it like to have lockers close to him? Does he push you to be better?

I mean we talk a little bit. I think once we're like in the fight together, you know, once we're both pitching, I think that's when the conversations will will really start. To happen right now, we talk, we hang out like we're aware of each other, and that's you know, it's so cool. But I think, uh, once once we're competing together, I think that's when you know, we'll really start talking more. Hey, what do you feel? What you what are you experiencing and and wherever the conversations go.

On a night like tonight Kershaw against the Giants at Dodger Stadium. How much are you really locking in on what he's doing and how he's doing it?

Yeah, you know, I just want to see why he's so good. I mean, he's getting older, he's had so many just I mean two e r A one Era seasons. It's unbelievable. It's career era is crazy. I want to find a way to, you know, see see what the magic is, how he does it. And being able to watch him that Cardinal start was really good. I feel

You say that you're trying to learn something from him. Kershaw has said this for the last five or six years. He has change up envy. You have one of the best change ups in baseball. Has he asked you or in a roundabout way about your change up? No?

I mean he does a splitter. I throw like a UFO change up.

So what's a UFO change up?

That's a different grip. Yeah, but they're just uh yeah, they're just different. But his is his is pretty good, you know, watching it's getting better and hopefully that gives him you know that that pitch can I think add years to his career. I hope if he if that's something he wants to do. But yeah, I know that. I would love to be able to watch him pitch for another four years if he's up for it.

I would love that too, So would La to have snail Zilla and Clayton Khrushaw in the same rotation for four more years before I let you go. You're kind of a fashionista and at Nordstrom now you could buy the snail Zilla hoodies and the snail Zilla Santo line. Did you have any input on the creation of that?

Yeah? No, Me and Bear talked about it a ton. We've been it's been cool. Man. It's like me and BEARR, who was owner of Santa, We've been talking for a long time about this, so for him to actually get it going and for me to have like my own line is kind of crazy to me. But it's cool, how authentic and real and like I actually care about it and it's such a just such a fun and cool thing to be a part of.

Hey, I'd love to see all those snail Zilla hoodies in the stadium when you make your return.

Hey, the hoodies. Yeah, the fire La fire so yeah, people want to support. That would be amazing. I think I think the quality of it is is top level. I mean I wear it around the house and yeah, it's it's definitely worth it.

By the way, Monday, speaking of Blake Snell Apparel and Merchandise, Bobblehead Night for Blake Snell. You still I'm not sure if you text me and I missed it or it didn't come through. I still haven't got the text about me catching the first pitch or throwing out the first pitch.

Hey, that's not Alex and Wanna been telling me that you need to throw it out. But we'll wait for another day, you know, right now. We got snalls Saturdays. I think that's a lot with you right now. So we're gonna work. You know, the friendship takes time.

Wow, I really am in the friend zone with not only with so many others. Thanks a lot for the time. Can't wait to see you back. And like I said, if you need me Monday, or if you need me to stand in for your live VP which should be coming up soon, I'm available.

Okay, yeah, very love. VP gets you in the box. You don't want that.

You don't want this smoke before I thought of all, I'll take that UFO change up to Mars.

Probably not, it sounds good now gonna happen.

I'm better at trash talking than I am doing things.

Yeah, no, I can tell that's why I got the best of you. Let me tell you. One person taking a change up to Mars is Ozuna. Okay, go look that one.

Uh, I know, I know.

Don't worry.

You won't have to see the Braves again this year.

I'm not against it, all right, Snell, you learn and get better?

Oh, I love it. Can't wait to see snell Zilla back on the mound Monday, Bobblehead night, and don't forget about Santos Studio in Nordstrum. Thanks a lot for the time, Yeah, appreciate it.