The Los Angeles Dodgers will be down one of their relievers for the rest of the regular season. The club announced that they’ve transferred Will Klein to the 60-day injured list.
Will Klein played the hero role in the Dodgers’ Game 3 win in the 2025 World Series. He fired five scoreless innings in what ended up being a pivotal win.
The right-hander has parlayed that strong postseason performance into a regular role in the Dodgers’ bullpen. He had been very effective through his first 30 appearances, with a 2.29 ERA and 2.78 FIP in his 35.1 innings.
However, six rough appearances in a row caused his numbers to balloon. The Dodgers later put him on the injured list with elbow inflammation. It was later revealed there were bone chips in his right elbow, which he hopes to rehab.
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The reason for this move was to open up a 40-man roster spot for Blake Treinen. The Dodgers are limited in their options concerning potential roster moves. Hence the move to transfer Will Klein to the 60-day injured list.
Klein’s injured list stint has a backdate of August 1, which means the 60 days will extend beyond the regular season. Should the Dodgers also have to play in the Wild Card Series, he’s probably also not an option for them there.
Klein is not eligible to be activated until September 30 at the earliest. Given the roster rules of replacing players mid-series, that’s not likely an option.
With Klein sidelined until the National League Division Series, it raises the question of what the Dodgers will do with him. Theoretically, they could just shut him down for the season. But he was also in their bullpen all season, so the club felt he was one of their eight best relievers when healthy.
What’s Next for the Dodgers Bullpen?
The back of the Dodgers bullpen has gone through a lot of changes in recent weeks. Closer Edwin Diaz is still recovering from a neck injury that’s kept him out since August 18. Tanner Scott has taken over the closer role.
The Dodgers’ activation of late-inning stalwart Blake Treinen should help alleviate those concerns. Treinen was on the 60-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation. He’ll serve as their primary right-handed leverage arm.
The corresponding active roster move was placing left-hander Eric Lauer on the 15-day injured list.
The Dodgers will rely on Scott and Treinen to handle the biggest innings from the bullpen. How they plan to utilize the bullpen in the postseason could come down to how well Diaz looks in his return from injury.
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