Each year during spring training there seems to be an obligatory conversation surrounding whether veteran righty Blake Treinen could make a potential contribution to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 35-year-old reliever hasn’t pitched a full season since 2021 when he logged 72.1 innings of work with 85 punchouts and an impressive 0.982 WHIP. However, 2024 could be the year when he at least starts the season relatively healthy with a full head of steam.
The Dodgers picked up Treinen’s $1 million club option during the offseason thinking there was a decent shot he could contribute to the team in some shape or form. The veteran had a brief scare when he was nailed by a comebacker last week and was pulled from the game after sustaining a rib injury. Nevertheless, he did make the trip to South Korea and should be in line for action.
After undergoing surgery to repair his rotator cuff in labrum in the winter of 2022, it’s tough to say whether the veteran could even show glimpses of his old form when he featured an untouchable slider and a sinker that borderlined triple digits on the radar gun.
Still, if Treinen makes it through the South Korea trip unscathed, he should be in line to be one of the featured arms in a bullpen anchored by Evan Phillips and Ryan Brasier.
The Dodgers took 31 players to South Korea, including Treinen, Brasier, Phillips and a full complement of new faces like Kyle Hurt, J.P. Feyereisen and Gus Varland. Veteran right-hander Daniel Hudson is also back, meaning the Dodgers could have an entirely different look for the bullpen come Opening Day, at least compared to the end of last year.
Prior to joining the Dodgers, Treinen spent parts of three seasons with the Oakland Athletics, going a combined 18-11 with a 2.44 ERA (48 ER/177.0 IP) and 201 strikeouts in 160 games. In his first full season with Oakland in 2018, he went 9-2 with a career-high 38 saves, a career-best 0.78 ERA (7 ER/80.1 IP) and 100 strikeouts.
In doing so, he became the first pitcher in MLB history with 30 saves, an ERA under 1.00 and 100 strikeouts in the same season. His ERA was the lowest in Major League history among pitchers with 80 or more innings since the earned run became an official stat in 1912.
After his 2018 campaign, Treinen was named Major League Relief Pitcher of the Year by Baseball Digest and was on the Baseball America All-Star Team.
The right-hander began his Major League career with the Washington Nationals, going 8-11 with a 3.39 ERA (84 ER/223.0 IP) and 190 strikeouts from 2014-17. In nine Major League seasons, he is 36-31 with a 2.86 ERA (160 ER/503.0 IP) with 79 saves and 504 strikeouts.