Dodgers Bring Back Veteran Reliever, Demote Promising Rookie

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 22, 2024

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers activated right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen and optioned right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius ahead of Wednesday night's series finale against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium.

Treinen returns after missing 14 games on the injured list with right hip discomfort. Before his injury, he had appeared in 34 games with the Dodgers, going 5-3 with one save and a 2.67 earned run average. He also struck out 38 batters in 30.1 innings while holding hitters to a .212 batting average.

The 36-year-old has pitched in parts of 10 major league seasons, spending time with the Washington Nationals (2014-17), Oakland Athletics (2017-19) and Dodgers (2020-24) while recording a 2.85 ERA in 483 games. He has 80 career saves with 542 strikeouts.

The Dodgers activated RHP Blake Treinen and optioned RHP Ben Casparius.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 22, 2024

With the Dodgers, Treinen missed most of the last two seasons with shoulder injuries. His return to the team was delayed again during spring training when he was drilled with a line drive and suffered a couple of fractured ribs and a bruised lung.

“God’s got a plan, though,” Treinen said earlier this season. “As you move along [through your career], you don’t ride the wave as long. You just relax and let things be as they will. If God wants me to play baseball, I’ll keep playing baseball and doors will continue to open. If I’m supposed to move on, then doors will close.”

Treinen finally returned on May 10 fully healthy. He pitched a clean eighth inning in his season debut with a three-run lead then repeated his performance the next night, registering a pair of late-game holds in his first major league action since the 2022 playoffs.

“I wasn’t really too concerned about the stuff,” Roberts said of Treinen, who along with Daniel Hudson, Joe Kelly, Alex Vesia, and Michael Kopech make up the back end of the Dodgers’ current bullpen orientation.

“For me, it was hoping he could trust his stuff, whatever he had, in the strike zone; betting on the stuff to play and get major league hitters out,” Roberts added. “And that’s what I’m seeing.”

Casparius did not appear in a game for the Dodges since being selected on Sunday.

The right-hander's progress through the farm system has been impressive. He started the season with Tulsa, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in five Double-A starts before being promoted to Triple-A on May 7. With Oklahoma City, he is 3-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 56.0 innings.