Blake Treinen

Blake Michael Treinen (, born June 30, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).

He played college baseball for the Baker Wildcats and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits baseball team.

He enrolled at Baker University, where he played college baseball for the Baker Wildcats in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in 2007.

He transferred to the University of Arkansas in 2008, but did not play for its baseball team.

He attempted to walk on to the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), but was denied the opportunity to try out.

He began weight training.

During Christmas break, Treinen participated in a baseball training camp led by Don Czyz, a retired Minor League Baseball pitcher.

Czyz recommended Treinen to Ritchie Price, the head coach of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits baseball team.

Treinen transferred to South Dakota State University to continue his college baseball career with the Jackrabbits.

He had to sit out 2009 due to the NCAA's rules on transfers.

By the time he was able to pitch for the Jackrabbits, his fastball averaged 87 to(-).

The Miami Marlins selected Treinen in the 23rd round of the 2010 MLB draft.

Though Treinen was willing to sign, an MRI revealed shoulder inflammation, and the Marlins withdrew the offer.

The Oakland Athletics selected Treinen in the seventh round of the 2011 MLB draft, making his debut with the Washington Nationals in 2014.

Later in his career he would pitch for the Athletics.

In 2011, his senior year, Treinen had a 7–3 win–loss record and a 3.00 earned run average (ERA).

During the season, his fastball reached 97 mph.

The Oakland Athletics selected Treinen in the seventh round of the 2011 MLB draft.

He signed with Oakland, receiving a $52,000 signing bonus.

Pitching for the Stockton Ports of the Class A-Advanced California League in 2012, Treinen had a season he called "subpar" and "mediocre", in which he had a 4.37 ERA in 24 games pitched, 15 of which were starts.

Before the 2013 season, the Athletics traded Treinen to the Washington Nationals in a three-team deal, in which Washington also received A. J. Cole and Ian Krol, Oakland received John Jaso, and the Seattle Mariners received Michael Morse.

With the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League, Treinen had a 3.64 ERA during the 2013 season.

The Nationals invited Treinen to spring training in 2014, where he impressed Nationals' coaches.

He began the season with the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League, and was promoted to the major leagues on April 12.

He earned his first career win on June 29, making a spot start against the Chicago Cubs and out-dueling Jeff Samardzija in a 7–2 win.

During the 2014 Washington Nationals season, Treinen appeared both as a starting pitcher and out of the bullpen, with his fastball clocked as high as 98 mph. Splitting the season between the Nationals and the Chiefs, Treinen had a 2.49 ERA in 15 major league games and a 3.35 ERA in 16 minor league games.

For the 2015 season, Treinen started the year in the Nationals bullpen, with the off-season acquisition of Max Scherzer creating a crowded rotation picture.

Manager Matt Williams, dealing with injuries to his veteran relievers, began inserting Treinen into high-leverage, late-game situations in early April, occasionally setting up for closer Drew Storen.

He also reached 100 mph with his sinker for the first time in his major league career during the first half of the season.

Treinen remained with the Nationals for much of the year, posting a 3.86 ERA with a 2–5 record with 65 strikeouts for the season.

He was optioned back to Syracuse on June 20 after struggling with command for the first half of the season.

Upon being recalled the next month, Treinen told The Washington Post that being sent down "was probably the best thing that could have happened" in allowing him to work on his approach.

However, even late into the season, Treinen was noted for struggling to retire left-handed batters, ultimately giving up the final run of the Nationals' season on a solo home run by left-hitting New York Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson in a 1–0 loss to the eventual World Series runners-up on October 4.

In the Nationals' 2016 season, Treinen posted a 2.28 ERA on the year and narrowed his platoon splits versus left-handed hitting.

He credited veteran teammate Matt Belisle and the Nationals' new pitching coach, Mike Maddux, for helping him improve his craft, while Maddux described Treinen's progress over the course of the season as "puppy dog to bulldog".

Treinen led the National League in groundballs induced with 65.9% on the season and ranked highly in inherited runners stranded and soft contact created, among other metrics.

Treinen was an All-Star in 2018 and won the 2020 World Series with the Dodgers over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Treinen attended Osage City High School in Osage City, Kansas.

He played for the school's baseball team as a freshman, but quit during his sophomore year as he developed prediabetes.

He returned to the team in his junior year, with his fastball reaching a speed 79 mph.