It’s been an up and down season for Bloomington North’s Will Klein, one that is on a definite upswing at the moment.
Bouncing between the Los Angeles Dodgers and it’s top farm team in Triple-A Oklahoma City, Klein made the 40-man roster to be eligible for the postseason but was not included. Until now, on the biggest stage. Friday, the Dodgers announced their 26-man roster and a promotional video with the World Series trophy, both featuring the former Cougar.
The 25-year-old reliever appeared in 14 games for LA this year, going 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 15⅓ innings. He had a big moment in closing out the game where future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw picked up his 3,000th strikeout. Klein pitched the ninth against the White Sox, getting the win after a walk-off homer.
Games 1 and 2 are tonight and Saturday in Toronto, both starting at 8 p.m.
More than a few TVs in Bloomington will be tuned in waiting for Klein’s call to the bullpen.
“It was kind of a surprise for me,” North baseball coach Richard Hurt said. “He’s always been right on the cusp, between Triple-A and the majors. And I thought when the Dodgers didn’t include him earlier, that was it. But surprise, here he is in the World Series when they added him to the roster.
“I think they had another pitcher who couldn’t be available, but what a great opportunity for him. It doesn’t matter how he got it. He’s got a big arm and he has a breaking pitch, that curveball, to go with it. So what a great opportunity for him.”
Klein started the season with Seattle after a trade from the Athletics and spent most of his time with Triple-A Tacoma before he was sent to the Dodgers on June 2. Klein was 1-3 with a 5.19 ERA in the Pacific Coast League, with 44 strikeouts to just 17 walks over 22⅔ innings.
Klein was originally drafted out of Eastern Illinois by the Kansas City Royals, who moved him at the trade deadline to Oakland during the 2024 season.
