Dodgers Bullpen Eyes Redemption
PHOENIX – Blake Treinen shared his thoughts on finding redemption for the Dodgers bullpen this Saturday morning.
While the struggles from the previous season are a part of their history, Treinen believes it’s time to move forward. “Not one person in this organization has focused on anything negative in the seven years I’ve been here,” he remarked. He added that some teams might dwell on past performances, but the Dodgers are focused on the present. “Nobody lives in the past.”
For the returning relievers, reflecting on last season isn’t exactly enjoyable.
As a collective, the Dodgers’ bullpen recorded the 10th highest ERA in the majors and secured the 10th most saves. Veteran pitchers like Treinen and Tanner Scott faced significant challenges. Treinen dealt with an elbow injury that sidelined him for three and a half months, finishing with an ERA of 5.40, which was his worst. Scott fared poorly as well, with a 4.74 ERA, struggling with his own elbow complications and losing his closer role after converting only 23 of 33 save opportunities.
These setbacks nearly dashed the team’s hopes of defending their title, leading them to lean heavily on their starting rotation during the playoffs and turning to Aki Sasaki as an emergency closer.
Now, the team hopes for a revitalized, yet familiar, relief crew.
Manager Dave Roberts is optimistic. “This year is going to be even better,” he declared.
Much of this lies with Treinen and Scott, especially with the addition of closer Edwin Diaz, who is expected to stabilize the backend of the bullpen. If Treinen and Scott can find their rhythm again, they may serve as key setup men, allowing Roberts to optimize matchups.
However, they need to address the problems from last year and let go of past frustrations. For Scott, the goal is to steer clear from the middle of the strike zone, which led to allowing 11 home runs last season—tying for 9th among MLB relievers.
Scott mentioned having a “thorough examination” this spring with pitching coaches to identify flaws that contributed to his struggles and elbow issues. He feels that because of the Dodgers’ early start in Japan, there’s more time to solidify changes compared to last spring’s rapid pace.
In his Cactus League debut, Scott showed promise with a scoreless inning and better pitch placement.
“(I’m) just making sure my songs play the way I want them to,” Scott said. “It all starts with delivery.”
For Treinen, refining his signature sweeper is crucial, particularly since it didn’t generate the usual whiffs last season, partly due to a slight alteration in his arm angle. He too had a positive start in spring training, pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
“The last game ended up being great,” Treinen reflected. “There’s still a lot of things to improve on. But if you feel like you did okay but the result was good, that’s a good thing.”
Others in the bullpen, like Alex Bashear and Jack Dryer, are also set to make an impact this season. The team anticipates contributions from Brock Stewart, Evan Phillips, and Brusdar Graterol, although Graterol’s status remains uncertain after dealing with a shoulder issue. Ben Casparias, Will Klein, and Edgardo Henriquez are vying for depth roles, although some have struggled early in spring.
“So our whole lineup is stacked,” Scott commented on the bullpen. “Anyone can throw it anywhere.”
Despite this, the club lacks a reliever with the extensive experience of Treinen and Scott, which they plan to leverage this season as they aim to leave last year’s troubles behind. “It’s like a toilet; you flush it and then leave it alone,” Scott said. “Last year wasn’t that good. But this is a new year.”
