Dodgers recall Emmet Sheehan for start vs. Reds

The lone run came on Elly De La Cruz’s homer in the first. Sheehan allowed only two other hits and walked one in the 82-pitch outing. Manager Dave Roberts said after the game that Sheehan would get a chance to remain in the rotation. That probably puts him in line to face the Marlins on Sunday, making him a worthy streaming option.

This has been assumed since Eric Lauer went on the IL, but it’s now official. Sheehan’s outing might come behind an opener, but he is stretched out to go long; he’s allowed one run over 17 1/3 innings in his last three starts for Oklahoma City. Those prioritizing wins could give him a try.

It’s was always a bit unclear how exactly Lauer would fit into Los Angeles’ pitching equation heading into the postseason. He’s probably going to miss at least a few weeks, if not longer. There should be some clarity on his status in the coming days. He was lit up for seven runs over three innings in a loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday night. It’s most likely going to be Emmet Sheehan coming up to fill his rotation spot against the Nationals on Sunday.

Sheehan threw 68 percent of his pitches for strikes, while posting an 18 percent swinging strike rate and 37 percent CSW. His four-seamer averaged 94.2 mph, and his slider carved batters up all day. There’s no room for him in the Dodgers’ rotation right now, but it’s nice to see him continuing to pitch well.

Sheehan had just been recalled from Triple-A on Tuesday to function in a multi-inning relief role, but he did not make an appearance. The expectation is that he’ll stay stretched out as a starter at the Triple-A level until he’s needed once more by the Dodgers. He won’t be able to return for at least 10 days unless he’s replacing someone that’s heading to the injured list. Paul Gervase was recalled in a corresponding move on Friday.

Sheehan is slated to pitch in relief for the Dodgers down the home stretch. He’ll be available for Tuesday’s game against the Rockies at Coors Field behind starter Eric Lauer. The 26-year-old former starter is back in the majors after spending a couple weeks in the minors. He offers very little fantasy appeal as a multi-inning reliever, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see his stuff play up in shorter bursts out of the bullpen.

The Dodgers sent Sheehan for a two-week stint in Triple-A to reset and now he’s reportedly coming back up to join the big league squad. His first appearance with Oklahoma City was a disaster as he was pulled in the first inning after allowing four hits and two runs. Then, he cruised through 5 2/3 scoreless frames with eight strikeouts in his following start. Yet, he’ll reportedly be an option out of the bullpen upon his return.

The Dodgers sent shockwaves through baseball by acquiring back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Tigers over the weekend. It’ll be Sheehan who loses his spot in the club’s rotation as a result. The 26-year-old was a trendy target in fantasy drafts this spring, but struggled mightily to a bloated 5.29 RA across 95 1/3 innings this season. He could potentially make it back to Los Angeles as a reliever for their upcoming postseason run. However, he can be safely dropped in all fantasy leagues.

Sheehan allowed two runs on a walk and three singles in the first and then gave up three solo homers in a seven-pitch span in the third. He hadn’t allowed three homers in any of his 19 previous starts. Sheehan fell to 4-8 with a 5.29 ERA. The Dodgers have lost his last five starts and nine of his last 10, which seems nearly impossible. With Tarik Skubal’s addition and Blake Snell nearing a return, Sheehan’s time in the Dodgers rotation should be about to come to an end. He could be more helpful to the team’s cause out of the pen.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Dodgers will send outfield prospect Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitching prospects River Ryan and Brady Smith. It was initially reported that Emmet Sheehan was included, but multiple outlets have confirmed he’s not headed to Detroit. Skubal is inarguably one of the best pitchers in baseball and has won back-to-back Cy Young Awards for the Tigers, and he joins Los Angeles with a 2.79 ERA and 116/14 K/BB in his 16 starts this year. The pending free agent will join the loaded Dodgers’ roster as the new ace, and obviously, fantasy managers have no reason to believe he won’t continue to pitch at an elite level now that he’s in Los Angeles rather than Detroit.