The Los Angeles Dodgers got some good news on the injury front this week, and it involves a veteran arm they’ve been missing for a few weeks now.
Blake Treinen, the 38-year-old reliever who landed on the injured list June 20 with right elbow inflammation, has started playing catch. That’s according to MLB.com, which reported that the team expects him back after the All-Star break. It’s not a massive headline in the middle of a playoff race, but for a bullpen that’s been stretched thin, it matters.
Before the IL stint, Treinen was having a solid season. He pitched to a 3.52 ERA across 29 outings and struck out 25 batters in 23 innings. Those aren’t flashy numbers, but they’re reliable middle-relief production from a guy who’s been through the postseason grind before. The Dodgers don’t need him to be an All-Star. They need him to get outs in August and September.
The real issue is that Treinen isn’t the only one banged up in that bullpen. Edwin Diaz is also on the shelf, and when you’re missing two key arms from the relief corps, things get dicey fast. The Dodgers have managed to keep winning anyway, which says a lot about the depth of this roster. But you can only paper over those cracks for so long.
How the Dodgers Are Holding Up
LA sits at 57-31 entering Friday night, the best record in baseball. They’ve got a 13-game lead in the NL West over both the Padres and the Diamondbacks, who are tied for second place. That cushion gives them some breathing room. They don’t have to rush Treinen back for a mid-July game against San Diego. The goal is to have him ready for October, not for a regular-season series in July.
The Dodgers opened their current series against the Padres with a 12-7 win Thursday. Game two is Friday night at Dodger Stadium, and Los Angeles can extend that division lead even further. With the Padres and D-backs both 13 games back, the division race is basically over unless something catastrophic happens.
But the bullpen remains a concern. Even with the big lead, you can’t just coast into the postseason without reliable arms. Treinen getting back into a throwing program is a positive step, but it’s still early. He hasn’t faced hitters yet. He hasn’t gone on a rehab assignment. There’s a long way to go.
The Dodgers are clearly playing the long game here. There’s no point in pushing a 38-year-old reliever back before he’s ready when you’re running away with the division. The focus is on getting everyone healthy by the time the games actually matter. That’s the smart approach, even if it means riding out a few more weeks with a shorthanded bullpen.
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