A busy winter meetings already for the Dodgers, who have reportedly reached agreements with Treinen and outifilder Michael Conforto
Blake Treinen was the Dodgers’ highest-leverage reliever during their October run to a championship and led the entire pitching staff in strikeouts. Now he’s back for more in Los Angeles, re-upping with the Dodgers on a reported two-year, $22 million contract, per Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic and Jeff Passan at ESPN.
It’s the fourth contract Treinen has signed with the Dodgers, and third as a free agent. He first signed a one-year deal for 2020 after getting non-tendered by the A’s, then after that season inked a two-year, $17.5 million deal. In May of 2022, while rehabbing a shoulder injury that would ultimately cost him nearly two full seasons, Treinen signed an $8 million contract for 2023 that included a conditional option that paid him $1 million in 2024.
After taking a line drive off the rib cage in spring training and missing time, Treinen was mostly healthy in 2024, and was one of the Dodgers’ best relievers. He had a 1.93 ERA and 2.38 xERA in 50 games, with 56 strikeouts and 11 walks in 46⅔ innings.
During the postseason Treinen had a 2.19 ERA in nine appearances, and led all Dodgers pitchers with 18 strikeouts in his 12⅓ innings. His 1.57 average leverage index was highest on the staff, while earning three saves and two wins in relief. Treinen had his five longest outings of the season in October, including three games recording at least five outs. He pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings with three strikeouts to get through the eighth inning of Game 5 of the World Series.
Since joining the Dodgers in 2020, Treinen ranks fourth among all major league relievers with a 2.29 ERA, is 19th with a 3.00 FIP, and 30th in strikeout-minus-walk rate (20.9 percent).
“I will never speak poorly of the Dodgers,” Treinen said in a December 5 interview on Foul Territory. “I would obviously welcome with open arms any type of deal to bring me back there.”
Treinen, who turns 37 in June, has a 2.78 career ERA and 3.26 FIP with 560 strikeouts in 549⅔ innings, and 80 saves with the Nationals, A’s, and Dodgers.
It’s been a busy Sunday to start the winter meetings for the Dodgers, who have reached reported agreements with Trienen and outfielder Michael Conforto.