The Los Angeles Dodgers put reliever Blake Treinen on the injured list before Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Treinen was diagnosed with right elbow inflammation, an injury that will keep him out of action for at least 15 days.
In a subsequent move, the Dodgers are recalling Chayce McDermott from Triple-A. Funny enough, McDermott was acquired via trade from the Orioles — whom the Dodgers are hosting this weekend.
Treinen has not had Tommy John surgery, which plagues many pitchers in modern baseball, making elbow inflammation notable as it could require further action.
The exact nature of the injury is unclear, though it is quite common for inflammation to result from wear rather than from an underlying issue.
In the past, Treinen has gone through intense shoulder surgery in the form of labrum and rotator cuff repair.
How has Blake Treinen done for the Dodgers in 2026?
On the whole, things have been better for Treinen in 2026 compared to his horrible 2025. He had a 5.40 ERA in 26.2 innings.
Out of the bullpen, he was below replacement level and ultimately proved to be a liability for the Dodgers.
However, Treinen had produced reliably up until that year, giving the organization confidence that he would turn things around.
In 2026, he has a 3.52 ERA and has been above average overall. His ground-ball percentage is up sharply, and he is allowing fewer home runs.
Even more importantly, he is walking fewer hitters, keeping his traffic down, and relying on the defense to make plays on balls in play.
What can Chayce McDermott offer?
McDermott is a high-stuff pitcher who can produce the swing-and-miss that the Dodgers love in their pitching.
He suffered massive command problems that led the Orioles to DFA him and eventually deal him; however, they have been reigned in, while the strikeouts are still there.
For the Dodgers, he has pitched only one inning, allowing no runs. If he gets a larger sample size, it will be interesting to see where he stands relative to the top level.
