CINCINNATI – On a night when the Los Angeles Dodgers could clinch the National League West, they suddenly could have a major issue after two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell exited after one inning and 19 pitches.

The Dodgers said Snell exited with left groin tightness, an area that sent Snell to the injured list in 2021, 2022 and 2024 while with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. The left-hander has taken precautions ever since in managing that part of his body, often wearing a wrap around his left leg on start days and for bullpen sessions.

He did not throw a pitch harder than 95.9 mph Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds, which is below his season average of 96 mph.

Snell missed the start of the 2026 season because of lingering shoulder fatigue that had plagued him through 2025 and into last year’s World Series run. After making one brief start in May, he underwent the new “NanoNeedle” procedure to remove loose bodies from his left pitching elbow.

He has looked like his Cy Young-winning self since returning Aug. 11, allowing just four runs in 34 2/3 innings (1.04 ERA) in his six starts leading into Wednesday. Snell faced three batters in the first, working around a Sal Stewart single by picking him off successfully to end the first inning.

Blake Treinen quickly warmed up between innings and entered in Snell’s place, suddenly raising some concerns for a team that will be built around its starting pitching in October with a rotation of Snell, Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow.

This story will be updated.