Blake Treinen is just about back for the Dodgers, and man, does it feel like their bullpen is about to get a shot in the arm. The veteran right-hander was spotted at Dodger Stadium Tuesday, even though he didn’t get activated when the rosters opened up on September 1. Still, manager Dave Roberts straight up said he expects Treinen will be active “very soon.” That’s the kind of news that gets you hyped, right?
Treinen’s Flawless Road Back
This dude’s been grinding to get back, sidelined since June 19 with right elbow inflammation. His rehab? Flawless. Seven scoreless appearances. First with Class-A Ontario, then six more with Triple-A Oklahoma City, racking up 8 strikeouts against 25 batters, just two walks, two singles, and a couple of hit batters. He even pitched back-to-back last week, Wednesday and Thursday, then Sunday he went multiple innings, retiring all four guys he faced. Roberts was clear, saying, “He had a good up-and-down the other day. For us it’s more of he’s here. We’ll see when we activate him.” Before the IL, Treinen had a 3.52 ERA over 29 games, grabbing a save, so getting him back could be huge. Since he’s on the 60-day IL, the Dodgers need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. No free rides back to the show.
The Roster Shuffle Just Got Wild
But Treinen isn’t the only arm making moves. Justin Wrobleski got the call-up Tuesday, jumping from Triple-A where he nabbed four outs on Saturday during his own rehab. The word is he’s slotted for a relief role this month, and that’s probably what they’re looking at for his postseason spot too. Then there’s the whole “sixth starter” situation. The Dodgers are on a nine-day homestand without a day off, so they’re gonna need an extra arm this weekend against the Washington Nationals. Emmet Sheehan’s name is in the mix big time, especially after three straight excellent starts for Oklahoma City, including a Saturday outing where he gave up just one run and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings. That’s a strong case.
Stone’s Deadline and Ohtani’s Mystery Pitching Outlook
Speaking of guys coming back, Gavin Stone’s 30-day rehab window closes on Friday. That means whether he gets called up or not, the Dodgers gotta add him back to the 40-man roster by Saturday. Another 60-day IL guy, so another corresponding move required. Stone’s been looking good too, with a 1.54 ERA and 18 strikeouts to just one walk across 11 2/3 innings in rehab, plus five K’s in four scoreless innings in his last outing on August 26. He’s not slated to start for Oklahoma City this week, which makes you wonder. And then there’s Shohei Ohtani. Will he pitch this weekend? Roberts isn’t spilling the beans, saying, “I do stand by that nothing’s going to happen until potentially Sunday.” But he did admit there’s a “conversation that needs to be had this week about what the outlook is.” Sounds like we’re all on pins and needles waiting for that one.
So, the Dodgers’ pitching staff is a swirling vortex of returning arms and call-ups. With the Nationals coming to town this weekend, it’s gonna be wild to see who gets those starts and how they juggle the 40-man. Keep your eyes peeled, because those roster moves could tell us everything about their plans moving forward. You know they’re looking to solidify that bullpen and rotation.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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