The Dodgers Reliever’s Power Sinker is Now His Out Pitch
When Blake Treinen signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021, he was expected to be a key piece of their bullpen. The right-hander had been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball over the previous few years, with a fastball that touched 100 mph and a devastating slider. However, Treinen struggled in his first season with the Dodgers, posting an ERA of 4.91 in 59 appearances.
One of the biggest reasons for Treinen’s struggles was his inability to throw his fastball for a strike. He threw his fastball just 53.6% of the time in 2021, down from 62.3% in 2020. When he did throw his fastball, it was often hit hard. Opponents batted .313 against his fastball in 2021, up from .229 in 2020.
Treinen has made some adjustments to his approach in 2022, and it has paid off. He is throwing his fastball more often (60.3% of the time) and getting more swings and misses (12.5% of the time). He is also throwing his slider less often (39.7% of the time) and getting more ground balls (55.6% of the time).
The biggest change for Treinen has been the development of his power sinker. The sinker is a two-seam fastball that drops sharply out of the zone. Treinen has always had a good sinker, but he has never used it as much as he does now. He is throwing his sinker 25.8% of the time in 2022, up from just 10.2% in 2021.
The power sinker has given Treinen a new weapon to get outs. He can throw it in any count, and it is effective against both right-handed and left-handed hitters.
Here are some of the advantages of the power sinker:
Treinen’s power sinker has been a key factor in his resurgence in 2022. He has a 3.00 ERA in 30 appearances, with 36 strikeouts and just 9 walks. Treinen is now one of the most effective relievers in the Dodgers’ bullpen, and he is a big reason why the team is in contention for a World Series championship.
Kind regards Z. McDowell.
