WASHINGTON — Usually, when Major League Baseball teams make a trade, they’re looking for different things. A pitcher for a position player; a starter for a reliever. Most commonly, a major leaguer for a combination of prospects. It’s a rare trade that sees the centerpieces, each playing the same position at the big league level, swapped for one another.
It’s even rarer when it works out beautifully for both sides.
On Tuesday, Sean Doolittle and Blake Treinen will suit up in their respective National and American League jerseys for the 89th Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Nationals Park, each chosen for their stellar pitching as lockdown closers this year. And even though Doolittle won’t have the chance to pitch, as he’s sidelined with an injury, it’s incredible that the two ended up here, after both started their professional pitching careers seven years ago.
Treinen was originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics back in the summer of 2011, and headed off to instructional league after the season. That’s where he met a fellow son of an Air Force veteran, a former first baseman making the transition to the mound.
“He was working on throwing when I was drafted,” said Treinen of Doolittle. “And everybody’s telling me this crazy story, like, ‘This guy rakes; he was going to be in the show as a hitter.’ And I’m like, ‘This guy’s arm is incredible.’”
Doolittle was still recovering from surgery on his right wrist and couldn’t even catch a baseball, needing someone else to catch for him as he started his throwing program. But that hardly slowed his progress.
“His first outing on the bump, he’s like 95, 97,” said Treinen. “And when we told him that, he was like, ‘No freaking way, are you kidding?’ Yeah, you throw harder than half the league, so, cool.”
At that point, Treinen was still a starter who could sit at 94 and touch 96, but had yet to flash the upper 90s sinker he’s known for today. The two ended up on the same Single-A team, but not for long.
“We played in Stockton, too, for like three weeks. And then he was absolutely dealing, so they sent him to Double-A for another two weeks, then Triple-A for about another week, and then he’s in the show,” said Treinen.
In January of 2013, Treinen was traded to Washington in a three-team deal that also landed A.J. Cole and Ian Krol, sending Michael Morse to Seattle. A year later, he was in the big leagues with the Nats, starting seven games and finishing six others in 15 appearances as a back-end starter and swingman. But while Doolittle was busy establishing himself in Oakland as one of the game’s best closers, Treinen struggled when he was moved to the back of the bullpen.
So last year, with the A’s out of contention and the Nats needing to bolster their bullpen, the two players were swapped for one another, with Ryan Madson also coming to Washington and a pair of minor leaguers heading west.
The fruits of that trade converged in Washington this week. Not only did Doolittle and Treinen each make the Midsummer Classic as closers for their respective squads, Jesus Luzardo — one of the other players who went to Oakland in the deal — started the Futures Game for the World Team.
“I think that was just one of the rare cases where the change of scenery or the new opportunities that kind of presented themselves after that trade just benefited both guys,” said Doolittle. “You don’t see trades kind of work out that way a lot.”
Despite his injury, Doolittle has been everything the Nationals could have hoped for. Since coming to Washington just under a year ago, he’s pitched to a 1.87 ERA in 65 relief appearances, saving 43 games and striking out 80 while walking just 11 batters in 67.1 innings pitched.
“Unfortunately, I’m ineligible to pitch during the game, but that would have been really cool, to be able to come into the game and close it out in front of the home fans,” he said.
While Doolittle is disappointed not to be able to actually participate in the festivities, he’s thrilled for the way everything has turned out. After all, Treinen has — incredibly — been just as impressive. In 75 relief appearances with the A’s, he’s notched a 1.47 ERA with 37 saves and 103 strikeouts against 28 walks in 86 innings.
“I’m happy for him, I really am,” Doolittle said. “Because everybody always knew the stuff was there, right? We saw that. The sinker that he has, nobody else in the league really has that. I’m excited that he’s found success over there, and I’m really happy over here, so it worked out.”
Treinen was handed the closing role upon arrival in Oakland, but he doesn’t take his second chance at that honor lightly.
“A lot of people don’t even get an opportunity to close, so the fact that I’ve had two, I’m very grateful. So I’m just trying to make the most of it.”
As for being back in Washington, his story threading through Doolittle’s once again this All-Star Week, Treinen found himself very much back at home.
“It meant a lot that some of the staff members, security guys were excited to see me and I was equally excited to see them as well,” said Treinen. “Anywhere you go, you just try to leave an impression one way or the other. You never know, a lot of times, that impression that you leave until years down the road.”
While their full stories remain unfinished, even a year later, both players have made their mark.
