Blake Treinen was originally scheduled to make his return from a rehab assignment on Tuesday, when the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Seattle Mariners. They decided to delay that move one more day.
The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reported the news on Tuesday before the Dodgers 6-3 win over the Mariners at Dodger Stadium .
Treinen was activated on Wednesday ahead of the series finale against the Mariners. The Dodgers completed the coveted series sweep, but the evening didn’t mark the most pleasant return for Treinen.
Treinen threw one inning in his first major league game after a 16-day layoff. Entering in the eighth inning with a 7-2 lead, he was greeted loudly by the crack of a 107-mph single off the bat of Randy Arozarena. Jorge Polanco singled softly to the outfield, putting two runners on base.
After Justin Turner lined out to right field, Dominic Canzone beat out a grounder to shortstop that allowed Arozarena to score a run.
The next batter, Dylan Moore, tomahawk-chopped a ground ball that he beat out for a single. While Treinen was charged with a run and three hits, he also threw 12 of 18 pitches for strikes.
The Dodgers had been without Treinen since Aug. 5 when he was placed on the 15-day injured list with left hip discomfort. He began his rehab assignment on Saturday with Double-A Tulsa and struck out the side in a scoreless seventh inning.
The right-handed reliever has been no stranger to injuries over the past few years. He only appeared in five games back in 2022 while dealing with a capsule tear in his shoulder. He had shoulder surgery that fall to repair his rotator cuff and labrum and spent all of 2023 rehabbing from that procedure.
His return this season was also delayed after he was hit by a line drive during a Cactus League game that resulted in broken ribs and a bruised lung.
Treinen leaned into his faith and prayed about his healthy return to the mound.
“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.”
When healthy, he has been an important arm in the Dodgers bullpen. In 34 games this season, he has a 5-3 record with a 2.67 earned run average and one save.
According to Dodgers assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness, Treinen is averaging the best depth on the sinker of his career. The only that has been missing for Treinen is a couple miles-per-hour but he intends to get it back.
Photo Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
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