The Los Angeles Dodgers announced a contract extension with right-hander Blake Treinen that will officially keep the reliever in the fold for the 2023 season.
Treinen was already controlled for 2023 via a club option, which would’ve paid him $8M if exercised (or $1.5M if bought out).
Treinen was first signed by Los Angeles following an underwhelming 2019 season with the Oakland Athletics, but the righty bounced back with an impressive performance for the eventual World Series champions. The Dodgers then re-signed Treinen to a two-year, $17.5M contract in January 2021, which broke down as $6M salaries in both 2021 and 2022, the $1.5M guaranteed by the possible option buyout and a $4M signing bonus.
In 2021, Treinen more than lived up to his end of the deal, posting a 1.99 ERA over 72 1/3 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen. Other than a below-average 8.7% walk rate, Treinen was otherwise stellar across the board in both bottom-line results and Statcast numbers. This season, however, Treinen only pitched in three games before shoulder soreness sent him to the injured list.
Manager Dave Roberts recently said that Treinen wasn’t expected back until around the All-Star break, and the club moved Treinen to the 60-day IL earlier this week.
Treinen is in his ninth season of MLB action, with stops in Washington and Oakland before his arrival in Los Angeles. The 2018 season saw Treinen finish sixth in AL Cy Young Award voting due to a superb season as the Athletics’ closer, but for much of his career, Treinen has worked in a set-up capacity. With Craig Kimbrel handling the ninth inning for the Dodgers, Treinen is expected to resume his usual role when he does return to action.
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