The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Tuesday they’ve re-signed hard-throwing reliever Blake Treinen to a two-year contract, fortifying the back end of their bullpen by bringing back one of the key cogs in their championship run.
Treinen’s deal is valued at $17.5 million and includes a 2023 club option worth $8 million, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Treinen’s ERA ballooned from 0.78 to 4.91 in his final two seasons with the Oakland Athletics, but the 32-year-old right-hander bounced back with the Dodgers in 2020, posting a 3.86 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP and a 2.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio — numbers more closely in line with his first three full seasons in the major leagues.
With the Dodgers, Treinen dramatically improved his walk rate, induced more ground balls and relied more heavily on his slider than his four-seam fastball. Along the way, he raved about the organization’s resources and philosophy in getting his career back on track.
Treinen will now rejoin a bullpen highlighted by holdovers such as Kenley Jansen, Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly and Victor Gonzalez, as well as newcomer Corey Knebel, a former All-Star who hopes to recover similarly. The Dodgers also added former New York Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery but could be a crucial member of their bullpen in 2022. Their only real remaining priority is adding another right-handed hitter.