Snell gave up two earned runs on five hits and a walk over two innings in Thursday's 10-8 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates. He struck out three.
After a smooth first inning, Snell ran into trouble in the second, surrendering a run-scoring single and an RBI double. The 24-year-old southpaw needed 49 pitches to get through his two frames, struggling with his command throughout. It was notably the second straight appearance with just under 50 pitches for the lefty, although the previous instance, which came last Saturday against the Orioles, was over a span of 2.2 innings and in relief. Snell was well aware of what the issues were Thursday and already looking ahead to an opportunity for redemption in his next start. "Lack of command," Snell said when asked about his performance. "I liked my changeup a lot today, so I kept throwing it. But I just need to command the zone better. I feel like I know what I need to do, and I'm looking forward to the next one."