The baseball season is still young, but trends are still measurable. The Los Angeles Dodgers are off, running, and winning. They have one of the best records in the league. Thanks, in part to a strong starting rotation. One of these pitchers, Emmet Sheehan, has been a study in progression. The question is, is the right-hander trending in the right direction?
Dodgers Emmet Sheehan Starting to Put it All Together
A Coveted Arm
After signing with the Dodgers in 2021, Sheehan rose through their minor league system rather rapidly, making his major league debut in 2023. The right-hander missed all of the next year due to Tommy John surgery. When he returned in June 2025, he spent most of the campaign in the bullpen, which struggled mightily in the second half of the year. However, his arsenal has gained the attention of other organizations throughout the winter. His name has reportedly been thrown around as part of a blue-chip return in a trade package for aces and high-leverage relievers. Such talk has died down, as he made the starting rotation out of spring training, even though he missed a couple of tune-ups due to illness.
Early Struggles
The right-hander won his first two starts in 2026 because of the Dodgers’ offense. However, with an ERA of 8.00, concerns were raised. Sheehan was not locating effectively in the strike zone. He was throwing a ton of pitches and missing badly. The fast ball was getting hit hard, and sometimes it landed over the fence. A pitch that was normally 95-plus had lost not only location, but its zip, topping out at 91 miles per hour after the first time through the batting order. Questions were starting to swirl about the young hurler’s health. For his part, Manager Dave Roberts seemed unconcerned, saying that Sheehan hadn’t mentioned anything regarding his arm. The lack of control in his early starts may be due to lingering rust left over from a shortened spring training.
Whatever the case, Sheehan was playing with fire. Added to the drop in velocity was the fact that the leadoff hitter was getting on a lot, and left-handed batters had a batting average of over .300 against the right-hander. Roberts was adamant that in order to make progress, Sheehan needed to “fill up the zone” with strikes.
The Litmus Test
In his last start, Sheehan was put to the test against the Chicago Cubs, a team with a lefty-laden lineup that had won 10 games in a row. Sheehan shut them down. He only gave up one run in six-plus innings, walking only one. The command of pitches was there, followed by the velocity, which stayed for most of the outings. It was clear that he used a slider to work off the fastball, and it was very effective. The right-hander had 10 strikeouts, including 21 whiffs.
Emmet Sheehan is DEALING tonight.
He’s got 7 strikeouts through the first 3 innings. pic.twitter.com/P2j6Qe7nYn
— SleeperDodgers (@SleeperDodgers) April 25, 2026
If he continues to have outings like this, it is easy to see Emmet Sheehan locking down a spot in the Dodgers rotation, even when Blake Snell returns from his rehab assignment. The Dodgers know it’s easier to win when your starters go deep in games.
Main Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
