November 12th, 2022 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is a saying that is as old – or older – than the game of baseball itself:
“Never throw good money after bad.”
On Friday afternoon, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman may have done just that.
May have.
It was widely reported shortly after noon on Friday that the Dodgers had picked up the $8M club option they had on 34-year-old right-hander Blake Treinen who, as Dodgers fans well know, has had significant health issues since being acquired from the Oakland A’s, who unceremoniously non-tendered him after a dismal 2019 season; thus leading to the Dodgers (Friedman) to sign him as a free agent on December 15, 2019, to a one-year/$10 million deal for the 2020 season … and we all know how that season ended.
(Tom Pennington)
The 2020 season was a nice bounce back season for the Wichita, KS native and seventh round draft pick in 2011 by Oakland out of South Dakota State University in Brookings, during which he posted a 3-3 record and 3.86 ERA, with an excellent 64 percent ground out rate on balls put in play.
So impressed with Treinen were the Dodgers, Friedman re-signed him to a two-year/$17.5M contract extension on May 22, 2022 that included an $8M club option for 2023 or a $1.5M buyout.
…and here we are.
Where that “Never throw good money after bad” comes into play is that Treinen appeared in three games in April 2022 before landing on the IL for what was called “shoulder discomfort.” He finally returned to action on September 2, 2022, appearing in only two addition regular season games, to give him a combined 5.0 innings pitched for the entire 2022 regular season for a combined 1-1 record (with one hold) and a combined 1.80 ERA.
Treinen also made one postseason relief appearance for the Dodgers in 2022. It was in Game-2 of the 2022 National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. It did not go well. He allowed one run on one hit – a solo home run by Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth in the top of the eighth inning – while walking two and striking out one, having faced seven Padres batters in his only inning pitched in the 2022 postseason.
But wait… There’s more!
Along with Friday’s announcement that the Dodgers had picked up Treinen’s $8M club option for 2023, came the announcement that he underwent “right shoulder labrum and rotator cuff repair surgery,” and, in all likelihood, will miss the entire 2023 season while recovering. If that’s not throwing “…good money after bad,” what is?
Then again, should Friedman’s roll of the dice on Treinen pay off and he does successfully return to action during the 2023 regular season (and hopefully into the postseason), then Friedman will have – yet again – proven himself to be the genius that he has been many times over his (thus far) eight seasons as the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations.
Play Ball!
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Posted in 
Unless the Dodgers are not paying once cent towards the surgery, would it not be smart for Dodgers to sign up Treinen for 2024 season now so he doesn’t leave after surgery and sign on with another team.
Interesting that you mention that, Bob. Of all that has been said and written about this Treinen thing over the past couple of days, not one word has been uttered about who footed the bill for his surgery, although I have to imagine that it was indeed the Dodgers, as it most certainly could fall under the ‘worker’s comp’ category. But it is indeed a good – and valid – question.
Moving in an entirely different direction and for personal reasons that I will not get into, there are very few people on God’s green earth who I respect more than Andrew Friedman, and it has absolutely nothing to do with baseball whatsoever. As such, it is extremely rare, and extremely difficult for me to EVER say or write ANYTHING negative about the man.
Make no mistake about it, being critical of Andrew in this piece was very difficult for me to do … especially on November 12th.
Rolled the dice and crapped out. Snake eyes.