While the Dodgers asserted their National League dominance with a sweep of the Braves over the weekend, a key piece of Los Angeles' bullpen returned and made them an even bigger issue for opposing teams.
It was announced before Sunday's game that Blake Treinen would be back for LA, and manager Dave Roberts didn't take long to put his new reliever to work.
Treinen came out of the bullpen for LA to begin the eighth inning with the Dodgers leading 4-1. It marked his first appearance since a shoulder injury that kept him for most of the 2022 campaign eventually ended his season in early September after throwing just 5.0 innings in five games.
He required surgery on the labrum and rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder that effectively ended his 2022 and 2023 seasons. Treinen pitched in Spring Training this year, but suffered a bruised lung that forced him to the IL to start the regular season.
It would've been easy to forgive Treinen for some rust had there been some. Alas, it was nearly impossible to tell he'd missed any time much less nearly two full seasons.
He struck out Braves pinch hitter Jarred Kelenick and got his punchout with a ridiculous slider that coaxed a swing and miss from the left-handed hitter as the pitch snapped down behind his back foot. It was disgusting:
Welcome back, Blake! pic.twitter.com/rlixS7yuiv
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 5, 2024
The next batter was reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. who grounded out to short on three pitches.
Treinen needed only two pitches to put away Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies who flew out to centerfield.
Overall it was a tremendous outing for Treinen who dispatched the Braves in order on just 11 pitches. The only minor blemish for the righty was his location which is something that should come back the more he pitches. He missed up with his cutter a couple times to Kelenic and started Albies with a cutter up out of the zone. It's a small nitpick, but one worth noting as he works his way back into game shape.
Small location issues aside the Treinen return gives the Dodgers an opportunity to really shorten games and put pressure on opposing offenses. It also gives them an option at closer while Evan Phillips is on the 15-day IL with a hamstring injury. That move was announced Sunday in correspondence with Treinen's return from the IL.
Once Phillips is back LA will have a one-two punch of Treinen and Phillips for the eighth and ninth innings. Assuming Treinen keeps pitching the way he did Sunday in his return, it's going to be really hard stealing games from LA in the final innings, forcing teams into games that are ostensibly seven innings long for their offense. The Dodgers didn't need Treinen healthy to establish themselves as one of the best teams in baseball, but his return does make it even more difficult to find ways to beat them.
