Blake Treinen Shines in Stunning MLB Comeback: What It Means for the Dodgers’ Playoff Push

Blake Treinen’s roller-coaster 2025 season has become one of the biggest storylines for a Los Angeles Dodgers club barreling toward October. Once the undisputed fireman of Dave Roberts’ bullpen, the right-hander now carries a 5.55 ERA, 1-7 record and 1.85 WHIP across just 24.1 innings, numbers that have ballooned during a brutal September in which he’s yielded an 11.57 ERA over nine appearances. Yet, despite the late-season swoon, Roberts is doubling down on his most experienced reliever. The manager told reporters this week that his “trust is unwavering” and that he still plans to hand Treinen the ball in leverage spots when the National League Division Series opens next week. Roberts believes the 37-year-old’s mechanical tweaks—and perhaps a postseason adrenaline boost—can flip the switch back to the version that dominated last October, when Treinen didn’t allow a run in seven playoff outings. For Treinen, the challenge is as much mental as mechanical. Scouts who have watched recent outings note that his signature turbo sinker is still touching 97 mph, but inconsistent release points have flattened the pitch and sapped the late bite on his slider. Video sessions this week focused on keeping his shoulders square and landing more firmly on his front side—small fixes the club hopes will restore the heavy downhill plane that once produced a 64 percent ground-ball rate. The Dodgers need that turnaround in the worst way. Since September 1 the bullpen ranks 25th in MLB in ERA (5.18) and 27th in Win Probability Added (-1.8), numbers that have fans openly wondering whether Roberts should reshuffle his late-inning hierarchy. Some on social media have even called for Treinen to be left off the NLDS roster altogether, especially after his latest blown save/loss against the Giants on Sunday. Instead, the club is betting on postseason pedigree. Treinen owns a sparkling 1.29 ERA in 35 career playoff innings and has allowed just a .173 opponents’ average in that span. “There’s something about October that flips a switch,” Roberts said. “We’ve seen it year after year.” From an analytics standpoint, the gamble isn’t unfounded. Treinen’s expected ERA (xERA) sits nearly a run lower than his actual mark, suggesting bad luck on balls in play, and his 31 percent whiff rate remains elite. If those indicators normalize, the Dodgers suddenly regain a swing-and-miss weapon capable of shortening games—vital insurance given the club’s thin rotation behind Walker Buehler and Shohei Ohtani. Still, everything hinges on results, and Treinen knows it. “I’ve been here before,” he said after a bullpen session on Friday. “The only way to silence the noise is to get outs.” With the playoffs looming, the Dodgers’ championship hopes may ride on whether their once-dominant closer can rediscover his old form in time.