Blake Treinen Not Close To Starting Rehab Assignment

Blake Treinen has yet to make his 2024 regular season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers as his recovery from a bruised lung is taking longer than initially expected.

Treinen was hit in the chest/ribs by a line-drive comebacker on March 9, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said X-rays and a CT scan were both negative. Treinen was included on the Dodgers’ travel roster for South Korea under the belief he would be recovered come Opening Day.

But Treinen was left off the Dodgers roster for the Seoul Series and instead put on the 15-day injured list due to the bruised lung.

While he’s in the midst of a throwing program, Roberts said Treinen would need a rehab assignment prior to being activated but that he isn’t on the verge of joining a Minor League affiliate, via SportsNet LA:

“Yes, absolutely. (But) I don’t know (when that would be). Once we’re starting to talk about facing hitters and things like that, then we’re talking about going on a rehab. But I haven’t heard that.”

When previously discussing Treinen’s status, Roberts indicated the veteran was multiple weeks away from returning.

The Dodgers could certainly use Treinen at the moment as their bullpen ranks 17th in MLB with a 4.48 ERA. The group has been strained early but the Dodgers intend to incorporate bullpen games with some regularity to provide their starters with extra rest.

Injuries to Treinen and fellow Brusdar Graterol have left the Dodgers scrambling at times for quality bullpen arms. They have already called up Nabil Crismatt and Dinelson Lamet, but both were later designated for assignment.

The bullpen churning continued Monday when Gus Varland was optioned as a corresponding move to the Dodgers adding Connor Brogdon to the active roster.

Did Blake Treinen have a setback?

Although Treinen has not yet been able to pitch this season, Roberts said the right-hander did not experience any sort of setback during his recovery process.

“I think it was more residual,” Roberts said. “Because if we would’ve known this, he wouldn’t have made the trip to Korea. So once we got there, in catch play, it just never felt better.

“So I think at that point in time, the medical staff decided to slow play it and essentially start up again. … The imaging, what we saw, what we knew, we felt good about him traveling with us and assumed — or hoped — it would dissipate as the days went on. But that just wasn’t the case.”