Emmet Sheehan’s brief stint in triple-A was a mere pause, lasting only a few short weeks.
Following the MLB trade deadline, Sheehan was sent to the minors to refine his delivery, which had been noticeably erratic. However, on Tuesday, sources informed The California Post that the Dodgers plan to recall him.
Sheehan is likely to be utilized as a bullpen option and was already seen at Coors Field in Denver just hours before the Dodgers were scheduled to face off against the Rockies on Tuesday night.
Although once regarded as one of the Dodgers’ most promising pitching talents, the 26-year-old right-hander has faced significant struggles in his third year in the major league.
Across 20 starts this season, Sheehan has recorded a 4-8 win-loss tally and a 5.29 ERA. Throughout the campaign, his performance has been plagued by fluctuating velocity and mechanical issues.
It culminated with a 2 ⅔-inning, five-run clunker against the Red Sox on the eve of the trade deadline.
The following afternoon –– with the Dodgers having acquired Tarik Skubal and kept Eric Lauer through the trade deadline –– Sheehan was sent to Oklahoma City for what both manager Dave Roberts and general manager Brandon Gomes described as a “reset.”
After giving up two runs in an intentionally brief 22-pitch outing on Aug. 8, Sheehan bounced back with an impressive start last week, throwing 5 ⅔ scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and only three hits allowed.
That was enough for the Dodgers to bring him back to the majors, where they could use extra length out of the bullpen during a series at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
For Sheehan, it will represent something of a fresh start in his previously disappointing season, and give him a chance to begin staking a claim for a potential postseason relief role –– similar to the one he had last year.