Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen is focused on more than helping his team pursue another World Series title—he’s on a mission to “make Heaven crowded.”
The 37-year-old relief pitcher, known as much for his outspoken Christian faith as his pitching, recently shared his heart in an interview with CBN Sports. While baseball has given him a platform, Treinen says his ultimate goal is eternal impact.
“I think my family’s name is great in the eyes of God, but in the eyes of the world, nobody really knew the Treinens, and I don’t really care if they do,” he explained. “I want them to see Christ’s greatness and what He’s accomplished in my career.”
Treinen said he constantly wrestles with a deeper question: “How do we make Heaven crowded?” For him, that means doing whatever he can so that his teammates, fans, and anyone he encounters know about the hope found in Jesus Christ. “I don’t want to see any of my teammates or anybody in the stands or anybody in this world face the alternative,” he said.
The veteran pitcher made it clear that his faith is not just a side note—it’s central to everything he does. “Every single one of us has been given a gift, and our way of repaying it to the Lord is how we honor Him with that gift,” Treinen said. “When I am welcomed into the gates of Heaven, I want to hear, ‘Job well done, good and faithful servant.'”
His testimony reflects the biblical truth of Matthew 25:21, where Jesus praises those who live faithfully with what they’ve been given. For Treinen, the mound is more than a place to throw fastballs; it’s a mission field.
Treinen has been on a remarkable journey through Major League Baseball. Drafted in the 23rd round in 2010, he made his MLB debut with the Washington Nationals in 2014 before moving on to the Oakland Athletics. His breakout season came in 2018 when he earned an All-Star nod and finished sixth in American League Cy Young voting with 38 saves. Since 2020, he’s been with the Dodgers, helping them to a World Series championship in 2023.
After that victory, Treinen didn’t point to his own efforts, but to God. “God is absolutely good,” he told the MLB Network. When asked who he thought of first after the final out, his answer was simple: “God.”
Treinen has not shied away from controversy when it comes to his convictions. In 2023, he publicly opposed the Dodgers’ decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group he felt mocked the Christian faith. Quoting Galatians 6:7—”Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked”—Treinen boldly said his allegiance to Christ came before baseball. “I understand that playing baseball is a privilege, and not a right. My convictions with Jesus Christ will always come first,” he declared. That commitment echoes Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
As the Dodgers prepare for another World Series run, Treinen’s eyes are fixed on a bigger prize than a championship ring. His words serve as a reminder to fans and fellow believers that true victory is not measured by trophies but by lives transformed for Christ. For Blake Treinen, the goal is simple but eternal: to make Heaven crowded.