Blake Treinen’s September Struggles Deepen as Dodgers Drop Another

On Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped a tough 3-1 game to the San Francisco Giants. It was one of those matchups that really shows how tiny the margins are at the highest level of baseball.

What looked like it might become a classic pitcher’s duel unraveled late. Blake Treinen’s recent rough patch cost the Dodgers again, and the bullpen just couldn’t hold it together.

Emmet Sheehan, on the other hand, delivered a gem in front of a buzzing Dodger Stadium crowd. Even with his strong start, Los Angeles watched its slim lead disappear in the eighth, and fans left with some real worries about the team’s late-game pitching as October creeps closer.

A Tale of Two Performances: Sheehan Dominates, Treinen Falters

The difference between the Dodgers’ starters and relievers on Sunday felt pretty glaring. Emmet Sheehan was exceptional, probably as good as he’s ever been in the big leagues.

He looked sharp—confident, in control, and really making hitters swing and miss. Sheehan punched out 10 Giants over seven shutout innings, and he retired the last 15 batters he saw. That’s just flat-out dominant.

Sheehan’s Rise in the Rotation

Sheehan’s recent run has been impressive and says a lot about his value for the playoffs. In his last five starts, he’s given up only four runs and has a 42-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 32 1/3 innings.

He’s probably not leapfrogging guys like Yamamoto, Glasnow, Snell, or Ohtani in the pecking order, but Sheehan is making a compelling case to be a real factor in the postseason. His knack for missing bats in tight spots? That could really matter when the games count most.

Treinen’s Struggles Hit Critical Point

Things took a turn when Dave Roberts handed the ball to Blake Treinen in the eighth with a 1-0 lead. Treinen didn’t record an out—he gave up two singles and a ground-rule double that tied things up right away.

After an intentional walk to Rafael Devers, Treinen walked in a run with the bases loaded, then let another score on a groundout. It all unraveled in a hurry.

Concerning Trends for the Bullpen

This wasn’t just a one-off. Treinen has now lost five of his last seven appearances, giving up 11 runs (nine earned) in just 5 1/3 innings. The numbers under the hood don’t look any better—he’s walked five and struck out just three in that stretch.

That’s a real problem for someone who’s supposed to lock down big moments. If this keeps up, the Dodgers’ bullpen depth could get exposed in October.

Dodgers’ Offense Held in Check

It wasn’t just the bullpen. The Dodgers’ bats didn’t do much to help, either. The only run came in the seventh, when Michael Conforto drove in a run with a clutch RBI single.

Outside of that, the lineup looked flat against Giants rookie Trevor McDonald. He kept Dodgers hitters guessing all afternoon.

Missed Opportunities at the Plate

For a team with this much firepower, scoring only once at home feels like a letdown—especially with your starter throwing seven shutout innings. Not tacking on insurance runs put way too much pressure on the bullpen, and that gamble didn’t pay off.

Historic Attendance Marks Final Home Game

Sunday wasn’t just about the action on the field—it also wrapped up the Dodgers’ home schedule for the regular season. Fans showed up in droves all year, and the team finished with a league-leading attendance of 4,012,470.

They’re the first MLB club to cross the four million mark since 2008. That’s a wild number and just another sign of how much this team means to LA.

The Fans Deserve October Baseball

The Dodgers have a fan base that keeps showing up in record numbers. Expectations for postseason success are, honestly, through the roof.

They need to sort out the bullpen if they want to make a real run. With a deep rotation and a lineup that can really hit, the pieces are there.

But in October, there’s barely any room for mistakes. That margin for error shrinks fast, way more than what we saw against the Giants on Sunday.

As the regular season winds down, a few things stand out. Sheehan deserves a shot in the October mix, and the bullpen leaks can’t keep happening.

Even powerhouse teams can get tripped up by just a couple of bad pitches. At the end of the day, sharper execution in the late innings could make all the difference.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Blake Treinen’s nightmare September continues with another Dodgers loss