The Dodgers’ Underrated Asset on Their 2026 Superteam

The Los Angeles Dodgers are really, really good. Controversial, I know.

On paper, the projected roster for the 2026 Dodgers grades out among the most formidable teams in modern MLB history. They have plenty of star power but are equally strong with regards to their depth and utility value.

Much of their value comes from their dominant pitching staff. Several members of their starting rotation could easily contend for a top rotation spot on most MLB teams. The Dodgers also boast a wealth of young starting pitching talent waiting in the wings.

Even their bullpen, far and away the Dodgers’ weakest link in 2025, has been bolstered significantly with the addition of closer Edwin Díaz. Needless to say, the Dodgers’ pitching is likely to be a significant driver of their success in 2026.

A number of pitchers on the Dodgers’ staff still face some uncertainty as to their potential level of impact in 2026. Players like Roki Sasaki, Gavin Stone, and River Ryan could all compete for a rotation spot in light of their injury struggles in recent years.

Among the Dodgers’ question marks, Emmet Sheehan is perhaps the most interesting. 

Sheehan first came up in 2023 and saw mixed results. Then, injuries forced him to miss the 2024 season entirely. Finally, Sheehan made his return in 2025 to great effect and pitched meaningful postseason innings.

In his brief career to this point, Sheehan has showcased high potential. However, coming into this new season, the question remains: which version of Sheehan will the Dodgers get? And, if he maintains his strong 2025 performance, what will help drive his success?

The Road So Far

Sheehan’s initial foray into the major leagues left much to be desired. Overall, he posted a 4.92 ERA over 60.1 innings, struggling with home runs (1.64 HR/9) and walks (3.88 BB/9). Sheehan still maintained his strikeout prowess, averaging 9.55 K/9 during this stretch.

Unfortunately for Sheehan, injuries derailed his start to the 2024 season. This led to him undergoing Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the year. Given the fluctuation in effectiveness for pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery, it was tough to anticipate how Sheehan’s return would go.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, Sheehan shattered expectations in his return to the mound.

In his first 19.2 innings of rehab, Sheehan maintained a 16.47 K/9 rate and 0.92 BB/9 rate. Then, his return to the majors culminated in a 2.82 ERA and 2.93 FIP over 73.1 innings. Sheehan averaged 10.92 K/9 while cutting his walk rate (2.70 BB/9) and home run rate (0.86 HR/9).

As a starter, Sheehan managed a 3.17 ERA, 11.16 K/9 rate, and 1.96 BB/9 rate. Sheehan ranked seventh among MLB starters who threw 50 innings or more in K-BB%, and he ranked eighth in SIERA at 2.95. Finally healthy with a tweaked approach on the mound, Sheehan was performing among the best starters in MLB last year.

All in all, Sheehan’s performance in 2025 was a marked improvement. The potential has been there since his professional debut. However, his ability to showcase his talents over a longer stretch in the majors makes him a strong candidate for a rotation spot going into 2026.

What Changed?

Given the stark contrast between Sheehan’s 2023 and 2025 performances, it will be interesting to see how his 2026 season goes. One might expect some regression to the mean, but Sheehan’s underlying metrics suggest his dominance may continue.

Sheehan’s 2.82 ERA in 2026 was far from a fluke. His 3.00 xERA, 2.93 FIP, and 3.37 xFIP are still well within range of his actual results. Much of this success can be attributed to Sheehan cutting his home run rate and better commanding the strike zone.

He also saw some marked improvements to his arsenal overall, adding a curveball to his repertoire. Sheehan primarily deployed this against left-handed hitters, providing an additional putaway pitch to account for in tandem with his changeup.

As for his stuff, Sheehan also added 2.3 inches of vertical movement to his fastball and more drop to his changeup. While his slider mostly maintained its shape, this increased separation between his fastball and off-speed offerings made each more effective.

Sheehan also increased his slider usage and cut his fastball usage. While Sheehan threw his four-seamer 59.9% of the time in 2023, he dropped this figure to 46.8% in 2025. Meanwhile, Sheehan’s slider usage increased from 18.9% to 30.4%.

Factoring in the addition of his curveball, Sheehan leaned far more heavily on his breaking pitches in 2025. This was to great effect, as Sheehan’s breaking pitches performed in the 94th percentile by run value last year. 

Among MLB starters, only Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal, and Emmet Sheehan ranked in the 90th percentile or higher in both chase rate and whiff rate. If Sheehan’s change in approach remains effective in 2026, he would be immensely valuable as a back-end rotation option for the Dodgers.

Looking Ahead

As it stands, the top four spots in the Dodgers’ rotation are locked down by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani. The fifth spot will likely be up for grabs by either Sheehan or Roki Sasaki. 

The Dodgers could also opt to run with a six-man rotation as they have explored previously. This would allow for both Sheehan and Sasaki to get regular starts, while also allowing more room for returning arms like Gavin Stone and River Ryan to make spot starts.

While the starting rotation will be crowded from the jump, Sheehan also has some experience stepping into a relief role. The Dodgers will certainly appreciate the versatility he brings to the staff, whether it be as a starter or long reliever.

Sheehan’s performance in 2025 was very encouraging, and often overlooked. The former sixth rounder is still just 26 years old, and he will be coming into the new season with a full offseason of recovery and build up.

If successful, Sheehan could turn plenty of heads next season. Dodgers fans can look forward to watching Sheehan build on his strong steps forward during the 2026 season and beyond.