December 10: Treinen’s signing has now been officially announced by the Dodgers, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic (X link).
December 9: Per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times (X link), Treinen will get a $5MM signing bonus and there no deferrals on the deal.
December 8: The Dodgers are in agreement with right-hander Blake Treinen on a two-year deal worth $22MM, according to a report from Ari Alexander of KPRC2. It’s the largest deal for a reliever going into his age-37 or later season since the Yankees signed Mariano Rivera in 2010. Treinen is represented by Apex Baseball.
Treinen, 36, was the Dodgers’ highest-leverage reliever this year. Despite his fastball slipping nearly three miles per hour, he posted excellent marks with a 1.93 ERA, 30.4 K%, 6.0 BB%, and 44.7% groundball rate in 46 2/3 innings. Treinen has been with the Dodgers since signing a one-year, $10MM deal five years ago after the A’s non-tendered him.
Treinen has worked 149 2/3 regular season innings for the Dodgers from 2020-24, adding another 33 1/3 across four different postseasons. He remained the go-to reliever for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in tough spots as the club climbed through the postseason to win a championship. He made nine appearances this postseason, getting more than three outs in five of them. Treinen was the winning pitcher in the decisive Game 5 of the World Series against the Yankees, stepping up with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Drafted in the seventh round by the A’s out of South Dakota State University in 2011, Treinen was shipped to the Nationals in January 2013 as part of a three-team deal that brought the Mariners Mike Morse. Somewhat of an afterthought in that deal, Treinen worked his way up to a high-leverage role in the Nationals’ bullpen by 2016. Treinen had a rough first half in 2017, and A’s GM Billy Beane made sure to reacquire the hard-throwing pitcher he’d drafted six years prior. The A’s sent Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson to the Nats in that deal, bringing back Jesus Luzardo, Treinen, and Sheldon Neuse.
The trade back to Oakland proved a turning point in Treinen’s career, as he blossomed into one of the game’s best relievers. In fact, Treinen’s 0.78 ERA in 2018 stands as the lowest mark in MLB history for a pitcher with at least 80 innings. The combination of a temporary setback in 2019 (perhaps related to a back injury) and Treinen’s rising arbitration salaries led to the aforementioned non-tender, however.
Though Treinen had some struggles in the shortened 2020 season, he remained healthy and even picked up a save in Game 5 on the way to his first ring. The Dodgers re-upped him for two years and $17.5MM with a club option for a third year. He posted a superb 2021 season, but the following two years would be plagued by injuries.
Treinen was limited to a mere five regular season innings from 2022-23, due to a shoulder injury that culminated in November 2022 labrum and rotator cuff surgery. The Dodgers had previously secured a 2024 option that increased based on innings pitched, allowing them to retain Treinen for just $1MM this year. He made his season debut in May due a bruised lung, hitting the IL again in August with hip discomfort.
Given that the Mets intend to use Clay Holmes as a starting pitcher, the Treinen deal is just the second significant relief contract of the offseason, after the Red Sox signed Aroldis Chapman five days prior. Treinen will again slot into the late innings for the Dodgers alongside fellow righties Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech.
The Dodgers made a pair of notable signings Sunday evening, re-signing Treinen shortly after adding outfielder Michael Conforto on a one-year deal. The spotlight as we head into the Winter Meetings in Dallas, however, was on the Mets’ record-shattering 15-year, $765MM deal with Juan Soto. The Dodgers were in the mix for Soto, but never seemed to be the favorite. The Dodgers did make a splash already this winter by signing Blake Snell to a five-year, $182MM deal with deferrals.
With the additions of Snell, Conforto, and Treinen and an extension for Tommy Edman, RosterResource pegs the Dodgers’ competitive balance tax payroll at about $332MM, in a year where the fourth tax bracket sits at $301MM. Given that the Dodgers already exceeded that mark by signing Snell, adding Conforto and Treinen will in effect cost the Dodgers $58.8MM this year, given the club’s 110% tax bracket.
I’m glad we kept the shuffle out of LA so we can continue to fill holes and get even stronger. Teo & Roki NEXTT
Roki will sign with the Mariners, Padres or Cubs
Prove it.
Probably not with the Cubs…
Padres maybe but the every Japanese player is signing with the Mariners stick is getting old. Cubs are not serious right now. Ricketts is 8 years post breaking the curse and content with mediocrity
I don’t know … Shota and Seiya may be more fun to hang around with than Shohei and Yamamoto. Ohtani would probably pay more attention to his dog.
I thought he wants to play for a west coast team…
He probably does, but one can hope he doesn’t.
@Bucket6 …Your jealous of Decoy is clear.
@amk1920 Thinking everyone wants to go to the Dodgers stick is getting old. Some guys want to make a name for themselves and not be in anyone else’s shadow
No chance. 100% Dodger.
Roki should sign with the Rockies
Ok you got me there. The Rockies would have to change their name to the Roki’s though.
@J.
Easy to say that when you got Ohtani, Mookie Freeman, Smith, Glasgow, Yamamoto and Snell. Crazy that I’m sure I’m missing a few. No hate!!
As a Giants fan I think this is one of the most important Dodger signings so far. The guy is almost unhittable. I don’t think he can throw a straight pitch.
It’s the Juan Soto plan b!
Blake Treinan won two games against the Yankees and Soto in the 2024 World Series, both the first and last game of the series!
Huge buy low for my Dodgers! I’m hoping they’re able to float Holliday or LaViolette down to 30 in next year’s draft! #winning
$22M for a reliever is a “huge buy low?” Don’t think so, but he’s a good one.
Top relievers are pushing $20M/yr. Treinen for cheaper than a guy like Craig Krumbel seems like a huge steal to me
Read a book, Peter. Then you will see buy low, sell high is the name of the game… until then you will always be an ignorant fool
Wait for it…
Deferrals inbound.
yup jokes like this = jealous fan of team that doesn’t spend.
I’m getting sick of the defferal jokes too, but that doesn’t mean he is a fan of a team that doesn’t spend, most teams do spend just can’t use the deferral system in such an egregious way the dodgers do. Like the Adames signing with the giants. I can 100 percent guarantee they asked about deferrals in his contract and he said no. Teams like that can’t use deferrals or the player won’t sign, the dodgers, they’ll use deferrals with the ability to also say hey we are literally an all star team, join us and win for the next few years but defer your contract. Big spending teams will have the talent to win for years to come, smaller market teams have to overpay as well as offer no deferrals opt outs no trade clauses etc. It’s the state of baseball. Teams don’t have the appeal the dodgers do. So before you say your team won’t spend, yes they will, and they do, but do you really think a player would choose the brewers, rockies, pirates, white Sox over the dodgers if their contract had to have deferrals in it? The answer is no. Sure a small market team can spend just like the dodgers, but it wouldn’t be wise especially when they don’t get the type of revenue the dodgers get, they don’t have the star power present on their teams that the dodgers do, so don’t be foolishness and think every single team has the same advantage the dodgers and other big market teams do, because they don’t. Why play in Milwaukee and defer my contract when I can play in Los Angeles and defer my contract? The only way I’ll sign in Milwaukee, or Tampa, or Kansas city, is again if there is no deferrals in my contract and I get opt outs and a full no trade clause. It’s not fair and you know it!
Ok i’ll defer on my assumption. (why’d I go there?) But i do believe that a good 75% -90% of it is jealousy. I know the feeling all to well with the teams i root and have rooted for. (I’m pointing at you Angels) Yes I rooted for both, (full disclosure, lifelong dodgers fan born to an LA native who was 7 years old when the Dodgers moved to LA, who has seen many ebbs and flows with since my birth year of 77. I dig on the hate they are getting now, because I don’t recall the world hating the 88 Dodgers, so IO find it amusing. People act like they are so dominant but the last 11 years all ended (or in the case of 2020 started with) disappointment, Hey a Braves fan I’m sure can empathize. But I don’t recall those Braves team having trouble getting free agents to boost them into the playoffs. To make a long story a little longer, I am amused by it either way, just wish the jokes were more clever. I tip my hat when they are good either way!
@Braves It’s my understanding that most players do not want to defer anything. They want their entire salary, every year, on time. Ohtani’s situation was an outlier and unique in that he has substantial income coming in anyway as endorsements. It’s why he offered to only be paid $2 million a year. To Ohtani, deferals made sense but he’s such a special case because of all the non-baseball related income he hauls in.
I’m not talking about ohtani but you can’t lie and tell me that a good portion of dodger contracts have defferals and most other teams don’t and that’s because why would I defer my contract to play with a small market team that isn’t nearly as talented when I could do the same and go to the dodgers and actually win. If these small market teams want in on a free agent they have to pay full price no defferals with opt outs and no trade clauses. While the dodgers do include some of those things as well, they’ll just outbid the next highest bidding team by 5-10 million but a good chunk will have to be deffered and they have the chance to win while doing it. Teams across the league don’t have that ability and you and everyone else knows it. If the dodgers offered a player say 200 million for 8 years and the brewers are offering the same thing who do you think gets the player? The dodgers will of course, but the brewers do have a chance if they offer that same contract with no defferals opt outs and a no trade clause.
I don’t think the Dodgers are going to sign all the best players just because they can defer the contract. Most players will not want such deferrals. There was a time when the Braves were accused of some chicanery because they were able to sign all their best players to team friendly contracts. I know the Dodgers are a main rival and competitor to the Braves. Maybe that’s why you’re sore. And I can also see how not every single good player will flock to the Dodgers. I don’t think it would be very fun as a player to be on a super team that just bashes in their opponent every night. And not too many people would want to watch such a product. So I think your concerns are overblown and not very justifiable given most players will not covet deferred money anyway.
No deferrals
You might wanna defer some of that cope for 2025.
Who is coping? Yet another troll, I’m a braves fan I’ve experienced a world series in the past 5 years, no need for me to cope dummy
@Braves
don’t think he was commenting on you.
Great move Dodgers!
I don’t think anyone can envision Treinen elsewhere, and now they won’t have to.
I’m cheering for the Dodgers! Beat the Mets!
Congratulations Dodgers making great moves
Cool, Blake to Blake signings! Or back to back Blake signings.
Just gotta ignore that monkey, I mean, Michael in the middle.
He sure acts like he’s going to Heaven any moment, maybe with the Rapture.
Yes. Thank you. Now sigh teo
Despite all the chaos of Soto news, and happy that it’s over. So happy to see this guy back in Dodger blue. Great signing!
The empire strikes back
The Dodgers missed out on Soto, so they have decided to sign everyone else.
For $760 odd million they can
Hiflew; news flash, he’s one of their own.
lgy newsflash. It was a damn joke. Lighten up.
Francis!!
Let’s go!!!
I’m happy he gets to go to the white house next year
Dodger discount. Goos deal IMO.
I don’t think he cares about that. Not everything in life is politics and he loves the Dodgers.
Brian Cashman is….. monitoring the market.
Lmfao
I can’t handle anymore of this tonight after the Mets stupid contract.
Soto won’t even bring any fans to the team. Ohtani brought an entire country to the Dodgers.
Soto deal probably lose the Mets fans honestly.
yeah nothing kills a fan base more then an owner that shows them he will spend crazy money to put an entertaining product on the field and is all in to win. Another jealous fan passive aggressively saying he wishes his team spent.
He ruined the FN team, should have signed Pete Alonso.
They are going to suck next year.
nothing kills a fan base more then an owner that shows them he will spend crazy money …
=========================
If that was the case, the NYMs would be drawing more fans. Including the CBT tax, the NYM have spent close to $1B in the past two years on payroll, and have averaged ~ 2.45M fans.
Only winning counts.
Surprised Treinen choosing to stay in a blue state given his public support for DT.
Probably no teams offered the money he wants
wrong. no other teams offered the uniform he wants.
Not everyone cares about politics all the time. Get over it. He loves the Dodgers… (maybe this time you won’t delete your comment)
We don’t know if he “loves the Dodgers.” What we do know is that he loves the $$$$$$$.
You only have to live there part of the year while being on what could be a historically good team. Taxes suck though. Sucks even more knowing they just go to buying homeless people more meth.
plenty of conservatives in CA. besides who cares who supports who politically just play some ball and enjoy. the fans love him and the team has stood behind him all the way.
all that matters is getting hitters out. religion and politics be damned.
I read somewhere that the Mets had an operating lost of 292M, Currently ownership is in a position to have access to capital to cover those losses (salaries) – the Mets take out loans from Cohen to cover that operating loss. And essentially that is ownership spending it’s own money to pay players to put a winning team on the field. But what happens if that ownership doesn’t have access to the capital to lend the Mets, or decides one day that it is no longer worth it to lend money to the Mets?
He wants to win a WS, that’s commendable, but say he wins next season, he gets his WS ring. We are talking about a shrew investor. He had to spend 1B for that ring. But after he gets it he decides it ain’t worth it anymore to cover the annual losses. He don’t have to make that loan. The 1B he spends for the WS ring and the ten years of life as owner of the Mets was worth the price but he’s happy with the one ring. All the capital dries up like an old man with psoriasis.
But deals like Soto’s will be there after he is done footing the bill, and the Mets will be in bad shape. I’m sure there will be another ownership group to swoop in and take on 250M in annual losses.
He can just commute to Dodger Stadium from one of the beach cities. Plenty of like-minded conservatives in those area.
Unlike many, he can probably separate his political beliefs from the rest of his life. He’s throwing a ball, not sitting in congress.
LOL! No one cares. My governor is an idiot, but I can afford the property taxes and state income tax, so I don’t care.
Great move
Treinen has been tremendous as a dodger
I think they should let him close to begin the season, then pass the baton to vesia
and Phillips and Kopech…
and maybe Dustin May?
if no Roki or Crochet or other big arm, I see May as the 5th or 6th starter out of the gate depending on Ohtani and Kershaw’s readiness in March.
4/5 times we see (team) to sign (player) it seems to be the Dodgers. I don’t expect them to do much else but what do I know? They really have unlimited funds. They could bring back Hernandez as well and laugh off a 30 mil signing bonus to entice him.
I was just wondering how many rosters spots they have open. They are going to start waiving all-stars to make room for new all-stars.
Lucky for you they are limited by roster spots.
Raysinthebay; I’m expecting a trade maybe two. I think they need/want to purge some contracts,
Taylor, maybe Muncy, especially if they’re interested in Arenado.
The Dodgers are not trading Max Muncy. He’s a key contributor to the team, and his contract is a bargain.
Muncy at least produces during the regular season, and his contract is team friendly. I don’t see him leaving.
He also has a strong post-season history. His detractors will highlight the 2024 World Series while ignoring the NLCS that directly preceded it.
Unlimited funds? Not really. They just willing to spend more even their revenue in 2023 second largest (549M, Yankees first with 679M)
They have way more sponsors and what seems to be the entire GDP of Japan. Just because they technically spend less per year than the Mets or Yankees, they have overall more money. They simply don’t want to be penalized in draft picks for luxury tax violations.
One of my favorite pitchers to watch, his breaking stuff is absolutely wild. Reminds me of old baseball video games that had power ups that would make the ball do insane stuff.
Patriot12992,
It reminds me of my wiffle ball days. I keep expecting him to get tossed from a game for holes in the ball.
this is a really important signing for the team. keep him fresh for the second half.
Come running back home to daddy. Sign up for the All-Star game like the white tr*sh pr*ck he is. Disgusting. He’d be worthless anywhere else so he had to stay with daddy. So sick of this garbage.
Put the bottle down Mickey.
@Mickey
you good bro?
Solis embarrassing himself as usual. What a sad clown.
Good
Fair enough. A lot to like but not as much as previous years. Got some red flags now. But the Dodgers know him best and might have just been a off year. Doesn’t have to be as good as previous years at this price.
First thing I looked for was the DEFERRAL amount….more information must be coming. Ah just updated no deferral on this but signing bonus. Since they are well above cap why not just sign more at will. They cannot be done yet.
BlaQe is back, baby!
Nice move. He’s lights out when he’s healthy. 1 of best frisbee spinners in league. That’s huge get.
By the time the Dodgers are done raking up all these deferrals over the years, there will be enough money in deferrals to buy an another
MLB team.
Y the time posters stop mentioning deferrals the internet will be full.
Aroldis just got $10.75M for his age 37 season. In true Dodger blue form, they said “hold my beer” for Treinen’s salary.
Aroldus just signed for $10.75M for his age 37 season. In true Dodger blue form, they say hold my beer and pay Treinen. It’s getting sickening now.
Doubt we’ll see much of him during the season.
Dodgers will be stashing him away for the playoffs again….
Great! Now go get Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott
If I was an owner I would be really concerned about what the Dodgers are doing right now. Severely overpaying players is inflating salaries now and in the future, knowing that they will be one of the few teams with the financial heft to keep up. Baseball needs a salary cap (and floor!)
I agree.
I don’t know how much they are driving up prices. They are paying good money, but for good players.
Yawn
MLB will never have a salary cap, so people should stop crying for one.
Seems reasonable to expect about one season of combined injured list time for Treinen over the 2 year k. That probably would be viewed as a success for any team giving out such a guarantee for a high leverage arm in age 37 & 38 seasons with a significant injury history.