Treinen closes deal for Nats
Sure, Bryce Harper homered WASHINGTON again on opening day. Yet the Washington Nationals’ pursuit of a fourth National League East title in six years began on a successful note thanks to their players’ success embracing the unknown. None more so than Blake Treinen. An unassuming 28- year- old righthander, Treinen struck a deferential tone in his first three seasons with the Nationals, as Rafael Soriano, Drew Storen, Jonathan Papelbon and Mark Melancon manned the ninth inning. Treinen merely struck out nearly nine batters per nine innings in the offBroadway setup role.
But when the Nationals came up empty in their offseason pursuit ofMelancon, Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman, the brain trust took a long look at Treinen’s nasty sinker, live fastball and slider and thought, “Why not?”
“He’s starting to learn exactly how good he is,” first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said after Treinen worked a clean ninth inning, striking out two, to finish the Nationals’ 4- 2 win vs. the Miami Marlins. “With the kind of stuff he has— just throw the ball over the plate.”
Treinen forgot that part of it for amoment, throwing three balls in a row to slugger Justin Bour with one out in the ninth. He battled back to a full count, and it stood to reason a fastball might be the pitch of choice, lest he issue a walk to bring the tying run to the plate.
Instead, Treinen shook off veteran catcher MattWieters — making his first start with the Nationals after seven years with the Baltimore Orioles — and went with a slider.
Bour whiffed, and the Nationals Park crowd rose in anticipation of victory. Treinen did not disappoint, striking out Marcell Ozuna to end it.
“I saw a guy who wanted to prove that he could do it,” Nationals shortstop Trea Turner says of Treinen. “He wants to get the job done for us, and it was awesome.”