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Dodgers Make Emmet Sheehan Decision at Spring Training

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Troy Lippman | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 6:29 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers will began the 2025 season in pursuit of a three-peat after defeating the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays in the 2024 and 2025 World Series. Their rotation is already one of the best in baseball headlined by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Emmet Sheehan had a breakout season for the Dodgers in 2025 although in a limited sample, pitching 12 starts with a 6-3 record and 2.82 ERA. Sheehan was an effective starter but manager Dave Roberts decided to use him out of the bullpen during the 2025 postseason in high-leverage situations.

However the Dodgers have decided to use Sheehan as a starter to open up the 2026 season especially with Blake Snell's status still uncertain. Sheehan will fill in and continue being an important piece in the Dodgers pitching staff.

On Saturday, Sheehan spoke with reporters and confirmed the news that he would open the season apart of the starting rotation (h/t Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic).

Not that it should register as much of a surprise, but Emmet Sheehan said he’s been told he will be a starter to open the year. Not official what day he will start in the opening homestand.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 21, 2026

Sheehan was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2021 MLB draft out of Boston College and will be entering his third season. He missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery on his right elbow but rebounded nicely in 2025.

He owns a career 10-4 record, 3.77 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 133 and 2/3 innings. The Dodgers are hoping he can replicate his 2025 production and supplement the loss of Snell who is likely to start the season on the injured list with arm fatigue.

The Dodgers rotation will likely consist of Ohtani, Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and now Sheehan. At some point Snell will make his return and push either Sasaki or Sheehan to the bullpen, depending on who is pitching better out of the two.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80)Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Injuries have hurt the Dodgers rotation in recent years as Ohtani underwent UCL surgery in 2023 and didn't return to the mound for the Dodgers until 2025.

Snell's career has been plagued by injuries but when healthy is one of the best pitchers in baseball having won two Cy Young awards in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays and 2023 with the San Diego Padres.

Yamamoto has dealt with injuries in the past but stayed healthy in 2025 and Glasnow has proved to be very injury prone throughout his career.

Sheehan is still a young pitcher with great upside and he will look to help the Dodgers win the franchise's 10th World Series title.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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