Blake Treinen missed the entire 2023 season as he recovered from right shoulder surgery. Therefore, forearm tightness just a month into the regular season seems frightening for the 37-year-old right-handed reliever.
However, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the organization is not too concerned about Treinen’s injury. For now, the Dodgers placed Treinen on the 15-day injured list and he will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
“Not too concerned, given that he was still trying to pitch yesterday,” Roberts said. “But I think I just reserve judgment until we get more from the scan. But the level of concern is not too high right now.”
Treinen reportedly started feeling the forearm tightness during his single-inning outing against the Chicago Cubs on April 13. The two-time World Series champion had three strikeouts but allowed two hits, with one being a solo homer from Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong.
The Dodgers gave Treinen four days to rest his arm before his next outing on Friday against the Texas Rangers. However, Treinen still felt the tightness in his forearm while warming up, causing him to miss his appearance against the Rangers.
“I appreciate Blake for letting us know his discomfort,” Roberts said.
Los Angeles activated right-handed reliever Evan Phillips in a corresponding move to replace Treinen on the roster. Phillips, who was placed on the 15-day IL with a right rotator cuff strain on March 17, had two strikeouts and allowed one hit during his outing against Texas on Friday.
While the MRI revealed a low-grade forearm strain, Treinen’s timeline for return remains unknown.
The Dodgers signed Treinen to a two-year, $22 million contract this offseason. He has logged an ERA of 1.99 or lower in three of the last four seasons. However, Treinen has struggled to stay healthy, landing on the IL every season since 2022.
Injuries are normal for pitchers — and the Dodgers are aware of that, as Los Angeles already has 13 pitchers on IL and several who will be out for the entire 2025 season.
Ultimately, Treinen is a strong piece of the Dodgers’ bullpen when he is healthy. But there is a still of lot of season left to go, so Los Angeles will be cautious through his recovery.
