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AL DIVISION SERIES: RAYS VS ASTROS

October 4, 2019

Blake Snell

Houston, Texas - pregame 1

Q. Blake, last year's Cy Young with no playoffs and the up-and-down season with the injury this year and for you to rehab and get back and pitch in a game like this, does it mean anything to you personally to be able to take the mound tomorrow?
BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, it's exciting for me. I had an up-and-down season. I had a lot to go through and battle. And just to be here and be part of it is very exciting for me, and it allows me to prove a lot of things to myself before the season's over, whenever that is.

Q. Blake, what's it like watching Yordan on tape, preparing to game plan for him?
BLAKE SNELL: Honestly, I haven't looked at him too much. I looked at a lot of numbers he has, his hot zones, cold zones. I'll look at video today because I'll be able to remember it for tomorrow a lot better, just seeing his swing, where he stands, everything like that.

I've seen what he's done in the two months he's been up, I think it's been two months. The dude can hit. But I'll be able to find his weaknesses and see where I can attack. And if he's in the lineup today, which I'm assuming he will be, I'll be able to watch that as well.

So I feel like I get a lot of my information today and then tonight as well, and then probably even tomorrow, since it's an 8:00 game, I'll have a lot of time to really look over it.

So, yeah, a lot of my video work will go on within the next 24 hours.

Q. Blake, how you've pitched since you've come back, probably fair to say a little inconsistent. Cash has said he would anticipate you kind of going into a second gear in this opportunity.
So how will that happen, and what does it mean to you that he had the confidence to give you the start?

BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, I think he just knows what I'm capable of. Yeah, I'll be ready. I'm not too worried about what I've done. I've kind of taken it as rehab starts. These are things I need to learn, work on. At the same time, it's not like I'm not trying to go out and dominate.

So no, I mean, I believe it. I think with the crowd, with how important these games are, I'll definitely be able to turn it and get to where I need to be and make sure I'm as dominant as I need to be.

Facing this lineup is a great lineup. There's a lot of challenges with that, but I'm definitely excited for it.

Q. Blake, where do you feel like you're at in terms of just workload, innings, pitches, what have you?
BLAKE SNELL: Workload-wise, I feel like I'm in a great position. I have a hundred innings. I don't feel tired. I'll feel very strong. I feel fresh, I feel ready to go. I'm not worried about where I'm at innings-wise or on the buildup of the rehab. I feel very good. I feel like I'll be able to go five strong innings, if I'm in the zone and attacking like I should be.

It all depends. I don't know how consistent I'm going to be. I know I feel like I'm going to be very consistent, be very dominant. But it's a great lineup, and I know there's going to be a lot of deep counts. There's going to be a lot of quick counts. But it all depends where it goes.

But speaking with what I did yesterday in my bullpen, I'm very confident that I'll be able to give us five strong. That's the goal.

Q. Blake, to follow up on you talked about your experiences in the rehab process, what can you draw about the start against the Dodgers the first time out and pitching before the crowd and how that may or may not help you tomorrow?
BLAKE SNELL: I think a bigger crowd locks me in more, definitely. When I pitch, I just know when I walked out, I definitely felt more locked in. I felt very excited.

But L.A., that crowd and that stadium is very unique, and that was definitely one of my favorite places to pitch. I'm excited to see crowds like that and pitch in front of crowds like that and pitch meaningful baseball.

I mean, it makes everyone play a lot better.

Q. Blake, you accomplished a lot in your career already. Verlander is one of the best pitchers in the league for a long time. When you look across the way at him, what do you most admire about Justin Verlander?
BLAKE SNELL: How he keeps doing it. I mean, it's tough. It's tough to do it just one year. But for him, he does it every single year. And that's impressive in its own.

I feel like he just gets better. I don't feel like he's getting worse. I feel like he's just getting better and better. He had a great year last year, and this year I feel like it's even better.

He's just very consistent at being the best. So there's a lot to learn there. But he's figured something out because he keeps getting better, and he's definitely a pleasure to watch.

Q. Blake, going back to the Toronto game, you said there were a few things you wanted to work on. Obviously not going to get too specific, but what did you want to improve upon? Control? The curveball you said you were pleased with.
BLAKE SNELL: I would say consistency, just all-around consistency. That can play for a lot of things. I mean, if my fastball command is where I want it to be, I'll be fine. I don't get too worried about that. I think that's everything. Especially with how the curveball felt, it's a lot better. The change-up and slider, I'm happy with where they're at.

The curveball, towards the end of the game, I was very happy with, and the fastball command. I'm looking to build on that and continue to just move forward.

Q. Blake, you guys as a staff will have the fewest home runs in the league and there were more home runs hit than ever. Is there anything the Rays kind of emphasize or try to do to prevent home runs better than anybody?
BLAKE SNELL: I just think we got really good pitchers. I think the bullpen's just, they're really good. The starters are really good. That's why we limit home runs because it's just the talent that's on the roster.

I don't think you're going to limit home runs. I feel like the balls fly. I feel like if you put a good swing on it, it's going to go. But with great pitching, it's hard to hit home runs.

Q. Blake, last year, you had a role that really was comparable to what Verlander and Cole have done this year. Is there anything that you look back to last year as you go into the playoffs that you can take with you or try to use as a barometer?
BLAKE SNELL: Well, I think everything, if you get in a rhythm -- if you can get in a rhythm, you don't know how long it's going to go. But I notice once you get in a rhythm, you can ride that thing for a long time. And that's just everything with consistency of the pitches, consistency in your confidence in yourself. There's a lot that plays in that. I feel like once you get on a roll, you're able to keep going and ride that wave as long as you can.

Those guys, I mean, I saw that he had, like, was it nine consecutive games or ten consecutive games -- yeah, like, that's crazy. And I know to get ten strikeouts in one game is tough. So for him to do that, nine in a row, he's just riding a wave. That's what I take it as because they're both super talented, they're both very established. Yeah, so, I mean, for me, that's how I look at it. Just once you get in a rhythm, anything can happen.

Q. Blake, when you signed the deal in spring, you said part of it was you felt like this was a team that could win and be good for a number of years.
BLAKE SNELL: Yeah.

Q. Obviously, during the season you had some ups and downs. You guys are actually here now, in the playoffs, you're pitching. What does it mean from that regard?
BLAKE SNELL: Means a lot. It's cool to see the talent that we have. To see it play out the way it did and be where we are right now, to win as many games as we did in the season with a lot of our key guys hurt is impressive.

But, yeah, I mean, to see it happen this year, it's amazing. It's a great feeling. And that's why I want to be here forever. I mean, I was going to be here forever no matter what with a deal or without. But, yeah, just being with that security for me was amazing. Also knowing I'm going to be at a place I love to be and I love being the underdog. So it's huge.

And the guys are going to be here for a while. I know how good they are, I know how hard they work. For me, it was a no-brainer. This year, really good. We're in the postseason. But I'm excited to see how far we go this year and how hard we push ourselves in the off-season to be any better next year.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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