Snell, who racked up eight strikeouts and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and a walk over 5.2 innings in his final spring start Saturday against the Pirates, earned high marks from manager Kevin Cash for his overall spring performance, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports. "He's in a good mindset," Cash said. "He's excited for the season. He could not have had a better spring from a work standpoint, and just an overall effort."
The lefty's spring could be considered an extension of his strong finish to 2017, when he went 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA over his final 10 starts. Snell generated a similarly solid 3.12 ERA over five spring turns, and in addition to having the opportunity to refine mechanical issues like location during the exhibition slate, he feels his improved intangibles place him on the precipice of a stellar campaign as much as anything else. "Last year to this year is completely different," Snell said. "Just mindset wise. And where I stand right now, it's way different. I think everyone can tell. Just focus. Ready to go. Been waiting for this season a long time, so definitely excited that it's here now."