The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has been key to their success this season, and Blake Treinen has been one of their best weapons as a high-leverage reliever.
It is almost hard to believe the group of relief pitchers was one of the team’s weakest links during the early part of the 2024 season. The Dodgers bullpen was hampered by injuries to Brusdar Graterol and Treinen during Spring Training, which impacted results to begin the season.
There has since been an upward trend that coincided with Treinen being activated off the 15-day injured list May 5. For Treinen specifically, that started a stretch of 14 consecutive scoreless appearances that included 19 strikeouts, a 0.77 WHIP and .170 batting average against.
However, Treinen has looked more vulnerable on the mound lately with a 9.53 ERA in his last seven games.
“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 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.”
The numbers for Treinen appear than they may truly be as he’s only allowed multiple runs in two of his past seven appearances. He didn’t allow a run this season until giving up a grand slam to MJ Melendez on June 15. That was more of a great at-bat by Melendez than it was poor pitching from Treinen.
However, it also showcased a lot of the problem areas that Roberts mentioned. In the 12-pitch at-bat, Treinen relied too heavily on a singular pitch as he threw nine cutters, two sliders and one four-seamer.
He eventually left a cutter in the middle of the plate that Melendez took full advantage of. It is also worth noting Roberts’ questionable decision to leave Treinen in the game as he was laboring with the bases loaded. But in Roberts’ defense, Treinen did look poised to escape the inning unscathed if not for the brilliant at-bat by Melendez.
The other biggest problem for Treinen has been the walks, as five of his seven free passes this season have come in the past seven games.
Until there is more evidence to the contrary, he should be able to make the necessary adjustments and get back to the level of performance he has been at for a majority of the season.
Blake Treinen feeling good physically
Before Treinen suffered a bruised lung and broken ribs during Spring Training, he was returning from right shoulder labrum and rotator cuff repair surgery in 2022. He has not expressed any kind of pain or discomfort in his shoulder lately.
“Feels good, feels good. So physically, he feels great. Just performance-wise, it’ll get better,” Roberts said.
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