The Los Angeles Dodgers saw the return of Blake Treinen this season after he missed all of last year while recovering from right shoulder labrum and rotator cuff surgery. The 36-year-old had been limited to just five innings during the 2022 season due to the same shoulder issues.
Treinen was on track to join the Dodgers for Opening Day, but he suffered a bruised lung after being hit by a comebacker during Spring Training that delayed his 2024 debut until May.
Treinen could have easily retired after being away from the game for nearly two years, but wanted to go out on his own terms, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“I didn’t want to end injured,” he said. “My wife and I have both prayed since I entered the game that I would get to walk away on my own terms – not from someone telling me I’m not good enough, not from an injury putting me out.”
Treinen expressed confidence that not only would he return, but pitch again at a high level:
Treinen said he was confident all along that “I’d come back and play and I’d be just as good if not better than I was.”
Treinen got off to an excellent start this season as he strung together 14 consecutive scoreless appearances that included 19 strikeouts, a 0.77 WHIP and .170 batting average against.
The right-hander’s velocity has dropped but he is currently striking out 11.3 batters per nine, the best mark of his 10-year MLB career.
Through 23 appearances, Treinen has pitched to a 2-2 record, 2.61 ERA, 2.93 FIP and 1.07 WHIP in 20.2 innings.
Dodgers remain confident in Blake Treinen
Despite an overall quality first half of 2024, Treinen is just 0-2 with a 5.59 ERA in his last 11 appearances.
Those numbers are a bit misleading as four of the six earned runs he has allowed during the stretch came off the bat of M.J. Melendez as part of a grand slam.
“I think yes, he’s shown he is human. I think for me, there’s obviously with guys, when you give up slug, it’s a mistake pitch,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently noted.
“I think that there might be some pitch selection for me, going to the well too many times in one at bat. The repeated pitch, I think he’s been a victim of. Don’t like the walk, that’s certainly uncharacteristic of him.
“So I think that he’s human, he’s going to kind of get back to being who he is. But I think the thing that really will get him [Tuesday] night was certainly the walk and not being able to field his own position. So those are things that our guys really do a good job at.”
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