DENVER — From the moment he felt something in his shoulder following an April 14 outing against the Cincinnati Reds, Blake Treinen’s return has been an elusive, moving target.
That hasn’t changed even as the Dodgers reliever gets closer to that return.
Last weekend, Treinen said he expected to throw to hitters for the first time during the Dodgers’ series in Colorado this week. Only a day or two later, however, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Treinen was “still a ways from that point” perhaps as much as “a couple of weeks.”
Treinen did not make the trip to Colorado with the Dodgers this week – but he will take that significant step in his recovery back in Los Angeles. Roberts said Thursday that Treinen is scheduled to throw to hitters there on Friday, and then will join the Dodgers in San Francisco next week to continue his rehab.
Roberts acknowledged that facing hitters means Treinen is “getting closer” to going out on a rehab assignment, the final step before he would return to action with the Dodgers. The target for that remains late August.
Among the hitters expected to face Treinen in Los Angeles is Chris Taylor. Taylor has been out since July 4 after suffering a fracture in his left foot when he fouled a ball off it. Taylor is expected to go on a minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment next week.
Pitchers Brusdar Graterol and Walker Buehler also remained in Los Angeles to continue their throwing programs. Graterol is expected to join the Dodgers in San Francisco and throw another bullpen session during the four-game series there.
REHAB DUO
Right-hander Dustin May made his third rehab start since returning from Tommy John surgery (his second with Triple-A Oklahoma City) on Thursday night while Edwin Rios began his rehab assignment with OKC.
Rios has been out since suffering a serious hamstring injury on June 2. He went 0 for 1 with a strikeout and a hit by pitch while making two errors in five innings at third base Thursday. Rios is on the 60-day injured list and will not be eligible to return until next Wednesday. Roberts said Rios has fully recovered from the hamstring injury but could need an extended rehab before he returns.
“I don’t know how long it’s gonna take. It’s kind of contingent on how he’s feeling, and obviously the need up here,” he said.
“If you look at the last couple years, he hasn’t played a whole lot of baseball. So just to kind of get him back to being a regular baseball player is something we’re shooting for.”
Rios missed most of the 2021 season following shoulder surgery.
In Thursday’s start, May went three innings, allowing two hits – a ground ball down the first base line that went for a triple and an infield single. He struck out six and walked none, throwing 46 pitches – a much more efficient outing than his previous one when he threw 49 pitches in just two innings. May has hit 100 mph with his fastball for OKC.
TURNER TIME
Justin Turner sat out five games with an abdominal injury before returning to the Dodgers’ lineup on Wednesday and going 1 for 3 with an RBI single.
But he wasn’t in the starting lineup again Thursday and Roberts said he “kind of picked our spots” with the 37-year-old Turner.
“Coming off that little stomach thing, he was gonna play against the lefty (Nationals starter Patrick Corbin on Wednesday) and then I wanted to kind of ‘slow play’ him back into the lineup,” Roberts said. “So we don’t give him consecutive days and then I’ll see how he feels tomorrow.
“I’m trying to pick our spots with him right now to make sure we’re completely out of the woods.”
The Dodgers don’t face another left-handed starting pitcher until Saturday when Kyle Freeland is scheduled to start.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (LHP Julio Urias, 9-6, 2.72 ERA) at Rockies (RHP Chad Kuhl, 6-5, 4.48 ERA), Friday, 5:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
