Emmet Sheehan just absolutely *dealt* for the Dodgers in his first start back, striking out 10 Cincinnati Reds in a Monday night win at Dodger Stadium. Yeah, you read that right: 10 Ks in his first major league start in five weeks. This kid was sent down, figured some things out, and came back looking like a whole new pitcher.
Sheehan’s Comeback Was Electric
This wasn’t just some alright outing, folks. Sheehan got the win, and he carved through the Reds lineup. He faced 21 batters, fanning nearly half of them. Sure, Elly De La Cruz got him for a homer, but that was almost it. Sheehan only gave up two more singles and a walk. After that kind of dominant performance, you know he’s earned another shot. They’ve already penciled him in to start again this Sunday against the Marlins in Miami. It’s awesome to see him locked in, ready to compete like he said.
From Struggles to PCL Dominance
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows earlier this season for Sheehan, though. He struggled big time with consistency through the first four months. His ERA was sitting at a rough 5.29, way higher than his xERA of 3.99, and the dude was giving up dingers like they were going out of style, with a team-leading 20 homers allowed through his first 20 starts. That’s why they sent him down to Triple-A after a three-homer loss to the Boston Red Sox on August 2. But man, did he use that time to get right. With Oklahoma City in August, he didn’t allow a single home run to the 69 batters he faced! After a planned brief outing where he gave up two runs in his first Triple-A game back, he reeled off three straight *excellent* starts: 24 strikeouts and only one run allowed in 17 1/3 innings. That earned him Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week *and* Pitcher of the Month awards. “There was a lot of stuff going down, and try to figure stuff out in a little less stressful place, which was nice,” Sheehan told reporters, talking about getting his “delivery locked in.” Clearly, it worked.
What This Means for the Dodgers’ Rotation
Sheehan stepping up like this is huge, especially with Bobby Miller still working his way back. Sheehan replaced Miller for this start, and Miller actually got the win Sunday night with three innings of bulk relief in his first major league action since 2025. Miller was activated Saturday off the injured list after missing five whole months with shoulder and back maladies. This impressive run from Sheehan likely keeps Miller in the minors until potentially the final week of the regular season. The Dodgers are closing out the regular season and getting ready for the postseason, so having depth like this , with guys like Andrew Heaney and Landon Knack getting called up in late 2025 , is exactly what they need.
Now, Sheehan gets to go prove it again on Sunday against the Marlins. This isn’t just a feel-good story, it’s about a guy who went down, put in the work, and came back ready to make a serious impact as the season winds down. You gotta love that.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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