Hopes were high for Blake Snell in his return from the injured list. Over two starts in San Jose and Sacramento, he threw 9 scoreless innings, bagged 17 strikeouts, and tossed an immaculate inning.
What fans were treated to in his return against Pittsburgh on Wednesday was not that.
The Pirates might operate like a farm club at times, but they’re not; and Snell is rarely, if ever, immaculate. Clean, tidy—nah, the furthest thing from it, but when he’s right, he has the tools to cut through that grime. A stable of secondary stuff that can generate as much wind as a ceiling fan.