Dave Roberts: Emmet Sheehan Will Be ‘Very Helpful’ For Dodgers

Emmet Sheehan is among the injured Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers working his way toward a respective return at some point during this year.

The right-hander missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing a Tommy John hybrid procedure with an internal brace added to the new ligament. Sheehan made his MLB debut the previous year and wound up earning a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason roster for the 2023 National League Division Series.

Sheehan has progressed to facing batters and threw to Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has heard encouraging updates about the 25-year-old and believes he can make a big impact later this summer.

“I was in a meeting earlier, so I didn’t see it. But Emmett is tracking, and he’s coming quick, so I know he threw to some hitters and everything I’ve heard, the delivery, the health has been fantastic,” Roberts said of Sheehan.

“He’s going to be a little sneaky pick to click sometime later this summer. I don’t have the timeline, but this guy’s put in a lot of work and to have that type of velocity and command, and is going to be very helpful at some point.”

Roberts added that Sheehan was sitting in the 95-97 mph range with his fastball.

Sheehan will likely pitch in a few more simulated games before beginning a rehab assignment in the coming weeks. As long as there are no setbacks, it is reasonable to think he could make his 2025 debut just before the All-Star break.

Emmet Sheehan among rehabbing Dodgers pitchers

Along with Sheehan, the Dodgers are counting on Clayton Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani returning to the mound this season.

Kershaw is set to be activated from the 60-day injured list on Saturday and Ohtani could make his Dodgers pitching debut sometime after the All-Star break.

Meanwhile, Michael Kopech is on a rehab assignment, and the Dodgers anticipate eventual returns of Blake Snell, Blake Treinen, Tyler Glasnow and Evan Phillips.