The Dodgers’ bullpen could look noticeably different this winter, and Blake Treinen is one of the biggest names in that group now heading toward free agency.
Los Angeles had eight free agents officially reach the open market this week, and while plenty of the club’s core pieces are tied up for the long haul, that security doesn’t extend to several important role players. Four Dodgers relievers are now free agents, including Treinen, the most experienced right-handed arm in the bunch.
Treinen is coming off the two-year, $22 million deal he signed with the Dodgers, a contract that paid him $11 million in 2026. Now, with his 13th season approaching and his injury history hanging over his market, the expectation is that his next deal will be far smaller.
Spotrac projects Treinen’s market value at one year and $1.6 million. That would place him 213th in the league and 39th among relief pitchers.
On the field, Treinen gave the Dodgers a solid rebound season, even if it was a shortened one. He posted a 3.64 ERA in 36 relief appearances, throwing 29.2 innings with 32 strikeouts and 11 walks. His groundball rate also climbed back to 44.4% after dipping the year before.
The problem, as always, is health. Treinen’s right shoulder has been a recurring issue, and it flared again before the 2026 postseason when he suffered an injury while warming up in the bullpen during the team’s final regular-season series against the San Francisco Giants.
That was only the latest chapter in a rough stretch. In 2022, he dealt with a partial tear of his right shoulder labrum/rotator cuff early in the year, then later underwent major labrum and rotator cuff repair surgery.
That cost him almost all of 2023. Over the past three seasons, he has also dealt with lung, hip and right forearm issues.
Even with all that baggage, Treinen’s Dodgers résumé remains strong. In six seasons with the club, he has a 2.88 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 236 strikeouts across 206 innings. He has gone 23-20 with 12 saves in 222 games for Los Angeles.
The question now is whether the Dodgers try to keep him around or move on. Treinen has been a dependable bullpen presence and a part of three World Series titles this decade, but his age and injury history make him a tough evaluation. There’s even a chance he steps away from the game altogether this offseason at 38 years old.
In Other News...
Dodgers Face Two Quiet Roster Decisions That Could Reshape Their Bullpen
The Dodgers have a small but meaningful set of offseason roster calls ahead of them, with six arbitration-eligible players to sort through before the November 20 deadline. Andy Pages and Emmet Sheehan are expected to stick around, while Brock Stewart and Gavin Stone also appear likely to be tendered even with some lingering questions attached to each.
The trickier decisions sit farther down the list, where Alex Call and Jake Cousins are both in that gray area between usefulness and uncertainty. Los Angeles will have to weigh performance against health before deciding whether either player is worth keeping on the books, and those choices could ripple into how the bullpen is shaped for next season. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Prospect Is Suddenly Testing A Role This Roster May Need
The Dodgers have spent the Arizona Fall League using Charles Davalan in a different way, shifting the No. 6 prospect away from the outfield and over to second base as they sort through a crowded group of young outfielders. It is a notable wrinkle for a player who already built momentum with a strong 2026 season at High-A Great Lakes, where his bat helped him stand out as one of the organizations more interesting position-player prospects.
Eric Longenhagen has pointed to Davalans versatility as one of his selling points, and the new look only adds to the sense that the Dodgers may be exploring a path that keeps his bat moving while broadening his defensive value. Longenhagen has projected him as an everyday player who could handle both second base and left field, with a possible major league role by 2028, and this fall assignment gives the club a chance to see whether that kind of flexibility can become part of the roster puzzle. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Have Two Rotation Fallbacks If Tarik Skubal Gets Away
The Dodgers are expected to chase Tarik Skubal if he reaches free agency, but they are not likely to sit around with only one name on the board. As the winter market takes shape, Los Angeles is already being linked to a pair of rotation alternatives in Freddy Peralta and Michael King, giving the club some insulation if the top target proves too expensive or simply lands elsewhere.
Peraltas season was uneven after splitting time between the Mets and Rays, though he finished on a better note with a strong September and postseason run. King, meanwhile, declined his player option after a strong October and brings the added familiarity of having pitched for the Padres, which only adds to the sense that the Dodgers will have several paths to choose from if their preferred ace slips away. [Read more 🡒]