Dodgers @ Reds September 16, 2026: Snell starts with the Dodgers looking to clinch NL West, Kris Bubic activated, Ryan Ward DFA’d

The Dodgers (92-59) continued their dominance over the Reds yesterday with a 4-0 win. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was stellar, walking the first two batters of the game and only giving up one other baserunner (an Elly De La Cruz double) through his seven shutout innings. Teoscar Hernandez continued his torrid month with a two-run homer in the third and Alex Freeland hit a homer and a double to lead the offense. The win shrunk the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the NL West to 2, and the Rockies beat up on the Padres last night to bring the number to 1. Today, the Dodgers can clinch a 13th division title in the last 14 years with a win or another Rockie win over the Padres. The Brewers and Braves both won yesterday so they didn’t gain any ground in those races, remaining two back of Milwaukee for the 1 seed and 3.5 up on Atlanta for the 2 seed and the first-round bye. Today, they look for a sixth win in six games against the Reds with Blake Snell on the mound against Andrew Abbott.

Today's #Dodgers lineup at Reds: pic.twitter.com/riwR7Y6q9B

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 16, 2026

Andrew Abbott on the mound tonight.

Powered by @PNCBank pic.twitter.com/Z1KViTCqTY

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 16, 2026

Snell continued his excellent return from the IL last time out in Miami. He gave up a run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings with the run coming after he was lifted from the game in the sixth. Snell got the first two outs in the sixth before a Javier Sanoja single chased him from the game. Evan Phillips came in to close out the inning, but Sanoja stole second and gave up a double to Agustin Ramirez to score Snell’s run. He struggled a bit with efficiency again, needing 101 pitches to get through 5 2/3. He’s given up four runs and 19 hits in 34 2/3 innings in six starts since coming off the IL with 46 strikeouts and 14 walks, although he hasn’t exactly faced top-tier offenses in that time. Snell’s last start against the Reds came in 2024 in Cincinnati and it went pretty decently. Snell didn’t only throw his first career complete game in that start, but he finished off a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and three walks.

Abbott’s had a rough 2026 after finishing eighth in NL Cy Young voting last season. Abbott posted a 2.87 ERA in 29 starts last season, but has a 4.78 ERA/4.93 FIP in 30 starts this season. Abbott’s shown some flashes of his success last season, but it’s mostly been a really rough 2026. He’s in the midst of his worst stretch of the season with a start against the Cubs and two consecutive starts against the Brewers. Abbott gave up seven runs and eight hits in three innings against the Cubs, followed that up with one run over four innings against the Brewers and then gave up another seven runs on nine hits in only two innings last time out in Milwaukee. That’s 15 earned runs, 20 hits and six homers in his last nine innings over his last three starts. Abbott’s made 105 starts over four years in his Major League career and somehow this is his first time facing the Dodgers.

Abbott is a lefty, so Miguel Rojas starts at second today. Max Muncy gets the night off with Enrique Hernandez at third and Freddie Freeman at first. Josue De Paula gets his first day off since being called up, with Teo DHing and Alex Call starting in left.

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Kris Bubic was activated off the IL, with Paul Gervase getting optioned and Ryan Ward getting DFA’d.

Dodgers announce they’ve activated LHP Kris Bubic from the IL, optioned RHP Paul Gervase to Triple-A OKC, and DFA’d OF Ryan Ward to make room on the 40-man roster.

— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) September 16, 2026

Bubic was acquired at the deadline for Carlos Duran and is set to make his Dodger debut. He was injured when they traded for him with the hope that he’d be a bullpen piece in October, and looks like that plan is coming to fruition. Bubic pitched in six games at OKC on his rehab assignment and allowed two hits and two walks in 5 2/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Gervase didn’t pitch in this stint in the Majors after being called up on Monday when Edgardo Henriquez hit the IL and Emmet Sheehan was optioned. Ward getting DFA’d is a bit of a surprise after he’s survived a few roster crunches over the last couple years. He’ll be 29 in February and did hit three homers in 20 Major League games earlier this season. He had a down year in the Minors after posting a .937 OPS last season and was probably not going to survive the roster crunch this offseason.

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Some injury updates on Henriquez and Edwin Diaz.

Edgardo Henriquez has a “low-grade” back strain, Dave Roberts said. Dodgers are “hopeful” to have him back for the postseason.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) September 16, 2026

In the Roberts-to-English translation, “hopeful” means don’t expect to see Henriquez again until mid-2027.

Edwin Díaz had a positive rehab outing for Oklahoma City, pitching a scoreless 9th to close out a 12-0 win. 15 pitches, 11 strikes, allowed a 2-out double and nothing else

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen.bsky.social) 2026-09-16T20:47:46.580Z

Diaz also had a solid rehab outing after a disastrous previous outing. He only threw four balls and stranded a two-out double, which is a huge improvement from his five runs, two hits and three walks in 2/3 of an inning in his last outing. He finished off a 13-strikeout Jackson Ferris start where he allowed one hit and one walk over 7 2/3 innings.

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First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 PM PT and will be on SportsNet LA.