Los Angeles Dodgers
manager Dave Roberts had some high praise for right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan
after his last start, hinting at the strong possibility of him making the team's postseason roster.
Sheehan, who was recently optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City
, seems like a lock to join the team for the National League Division Series next weekend.
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"I've loved the version we've seen of Emmet the last three outings," Roberts said
. "He's been fantastic.
"We've seen confidence. We've seen when you're essentially fighting for your life to create an opportunity for yourself. That's what I see. There's urgency. I like the way that he's trusting his stuff. He's in a good spot physically, and you know the performance has been fantastic."
The 26-year-old pitcher was masterful in his final outing of the regular season on Sunday in the Dodgers' win over the San Francisco Giants
, pitching 5.1 shutout innings and striking out nine batters. He entered in the second inning after Jack Dreyer
pitched the first, giving him more experience coming out of the bullpen.
Overall, Sheehan has looked incredible in his three September outings. He's allowed just one run over 17 innings with 24 strikeouts.
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"I think that obviously there's a 97 [mph] that plays better, but 94-95 commanded still misses bats," Roberts said of Sheehan. "That's one part of it. The other part of it is holding the velocity. And so, for me, the last three or four since he's been back here, he's held those 94s and 95s for the, call it, 85 pitches."
This season, Sheehan owns a 5-8 record with a 4.57 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 112.1 innings across 23 appearances.
Sheehan is expected to be in the Dodgers' bullpen for this year's postseason, just as he was last year.
During the 2025 postseason, Sheehan made six relief appearances, posting an 8.59 ERA and recording six strikeouts over 7.1 innings. However, he said he's more prepared this time around, and expects to have better results in his now more familiar role.
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"Definitely," Sheehan said. "I think the routine of everything can be a little bit hard to adjust to right away. So having that experience helps a lot. Just getting back into that, I know what I need to do to get ready to go into the game."
Sheehan will give the Dodgers a multi-inning option out of the bullpen. If he's pitching like he has over the last few weeks, he could be a serious weapon for LA.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers' Dave Roberts Hints at Fringe Pitcher Making Postseason Roster
.
