LOS ANGELES — One day after allowing seven runs in three innings in his worst start with the Dodgers, Eric Lauer was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. That opened an active roster spot for Blake Treinen to be activated from the 60-day injured list.
Treinen pitched in seven games on a minor league rehab assignment over two and a half weeks, with one appearance with Class-A Ontario and six games in Triple-A Oklahoma City, after missing two and a half months with right elbow
inflammation. He totaled 6 1/3 scoreless inning, with two singles, two walks, and two hit batters with eight strikeouts, culminating with a four-out appearance on Sunday.
“He had a good up-and-down the other day. For us it’s more of he’s here. We’ll see when we activate him,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday. “I assume we will activate him very soon.”
Because Treinen was on the 60-day injured list, the Dodgers needed to make room on the 40-man roster as well. Will Klein was moved to the 60-day injured list with right elbow discomfort. Klein last pitched on July 31 and was placed on the IL on August 1. This means his regular season has concluded, as Klein isn’t eligible to return until September 30, which is in the middle of the wild card round.
For now on the active roster the Dodgers have four starting pitchers active in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers were already planning to insert a sixth starter this weekend against the Washington Nationals. That will almost certainly be Emmet Sheehan, who has allowed only one run over his last 17 1/3 innings with 24 strikeouts in Triple-A.
If Sheehan slots in Sunday, the Dodgers would still need to fill innings on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds in what would have been Lauer’s next turn in the rotation. They have Justin Wrobleski on the active roster as well and he’s been pitching in relief. Even if he’s not fully stretched out, Wrobleski could conceivably pitch bulk innings of a bullpen game if needed, especially with 14 active pitchers on the roster.
I asked about Gavin Stone as a potential option for the Dodgers, as the right-hander has pitched very well in his rehab assignment to date, with 18 strikeouts against only one walk with two runs allowed in 11 2/3 innings in his four starts. But it sounds like the Dodgers are being cautious with Stone, who has not otherwise pitched since right shoulder surgery in October 2024.
“Gavin’s been good. I think right now — this is not talking to guys in player development — but just getting him to stay upright and stay healthy is a win for 2026,” Roberts said Wednesday. “Is there a chance he could impact us at some point in time in September? Possibly. I just don’t know that answer.”
Stone has not pitched since August 26, when he struck out five in four scoreless innings, and he’s not listed among the starting pitchers this week for Oklahoma City.
