Nationals’ loss becomes the A’s gain
Returning to his first team, Treinen flourishes after trade from Washington
Last July 16 — one year and one day ago — a broken pitcher joined a broken team.
Blake Treinen had lost his role as the closer for the Washington Nationals. The A’s had lost 50 of 89 games and were last in the American League West.
On July 16, 2017, they came together as one. Treinen joined the A’s in a deal that also included prospects Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse. It was like so many Oakland trades: For a broken pitcher and two prospects, the A’s had sent away Sean Doolittle, the last remaining piece of their best days, and fellow reliever Ryan Madson.
“It wasn’t easy to trade a player like Sean,” said A’s GM David Forst. “He’d come up through the system and was such an integral part of playoff teams — a fan favorite. But we felt, where we were as a team looking beyond 2017, that it was important we at least explore it.”
As the teams talked, it be-
came clear to the A’s that Luzardo, a 20-year-old pitcher taken in the third round of the 2016 draft, and Neuse, a 23-year-old infielder taken in the second round, would represent a significant upgrade to their farm system.
As for Treinen, he was “a very important piece,” Forst said. “We thought he was capable of doing more than what he had done in Washington.”
At the time, Treinen had pitched in 37 games to the tune of a 5.73 ERA. He had lost the closer’s role after a messy stretch in April. Manager Dusty Baker didn’t ask him to close again until June 29, and Treinen promptly blew the save, allowing three runs with two outs in the ninth.
It wasn’t long before Treinen, 29, found himself in Oakland, the organization that had drafted him in 2011 and traded him two years later in a three-way deal that brought catcher John Jaso to Oakland.
After his experience in Washington, Treinen wasn’t sure what to expect.
“I didn’t know what the future held for me being traded after a tough first month that kind of cost me,” Treinen said. “I was very thankful to get over here to a team that was familiar with me and willing to give me a chance to throw in the back end. I didn’t realize
that was going be an opportunity when I came over here.”
Santiago Casilla was the A’s closer at the time. He had 15 saves, but was beginning to falter.
Treinen got his first chance to close on July 21. He blew it. He got another six days later. He blew it. He blew another save Aug. 4 — his third in two weeks.
But he caught fire after that, finishing with 13 saves and a 2.13 ERA over 35 games.
“He gained a lot of confidence coming here when we weren’t a great team and it was a time to give him the ball and let him develop,” A’s pitching coach Scott Emerson said. “The opportunity where the pressure wasn’t as big because we weren’t in contention has made him a better pitcher today.”
Today, Treinen is at the All Star Game, packing 24 saves and 0.94 ERA, tops among all MLB relievers.
“I had a lot to prove once
I got here and had a lot of aspirations to be good in the future,” Treinen said. “You’re kind of seeing it come to fruition right now.”
The signature pitch in Treinen’s arsenal is the sinker. It has so much movement it tricks batters into thinking they can hit it before disappearing down in the zone right before they swing out of their shoes. Oh, and that sinker is usually coming in around 99 mph.
But that’s only one of four pitches he can throw at any time. It’s rare for a closer to have that many pitches, but Treinen, who was a starter in the Nationals organization early in his career, needed them.
It’s a pitch arsenal unlike anything Jonathan Lucroy, in his ninth season as a big league catcher, has ever seen. And he’s caught some great closers in guys like Trevor Hoffman and Francisco Rodriguez.
“I’ve caught guys who threw hard with movement, but never with four plus-pitches,” Lucroy said. “He has a really good fourseam fastball, best twoseam sinker I’ve caught in my life, great cutter, and a great slider. Pretty devastating stuff.”
Safe to say, the A’s have won the trade.
Luzardo has emerged as the A’s No. 1 prospect and one of the most talked-about young pitchers in baseball. Neuse is struggling with Triple-A pitching, but he hit 16 home runs at three levels last season.
Treinen is no longer broken, and neither are the A’s. They are 13 games over .500 — a 24-game turnaround since last All Star Game — and in contention to win a playoff spot. They are the only team in the majors yet to lose when leading after seven innings (37-0) or eight innings (46-0) when leading after eight.
That is a direct reflection on Treinen. He has been the most-dominant closer in these parts since Dennis Eckersley. Not even Forst could have predicted that.
“I didn’t see a sub-1.00 ERA coming,” Forst said. “But even when he struggled in Washington, the stuff was always there. The peripheral numbers, strikeouts to walks were always outstanding. It was only a matter of time before it all came together and that’s clearly what’s happened first half of this season.
“He’s a huge reason why we’re where we are right now.”