What’s The Plan For Sheehan?

The Dodgers' greed has grown to levels that sicken both fans and owners across the entirety of Major League Baseball. After the acquisition of perennial All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, LA’s payroll is starting to look like Mark Cuban’s checking account. However, the concurrent additions of big-name free agents come with their disadvantages. What’s to come for young talent on the LA roster? 

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Specifically, I’m referring to young starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan. The 26-year-old tossed 73.1 innings to an immaculate 2.82 ERA in 2025. Although he didn’t throw in bulk, Sheehan has more than earned the right to a spot in the starting rotation. On any other team, he’d be a no-brainer to build around. In LA, he may be on the outside looking in. 

The current five-man rotation in Los Angeles is as follows: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki. That is an entire rotation composed of frontline starters, potentially the best of our lifetime. Sasaki is the only name that could relocate and make room for Sheehan. 

Sasaki moving to the bullpen might make sense for 2026, but in the grand scheme of things, the return on investment is frugal at best with him manning the ninth. Additionally, LA added potentially the best closer in the game in Edwin Diaz this offseason and still employs left-handed weapon Tanner Scott. The back-end of the bullpen is just as crowded as the starting rotation. 

Andrew Friedman and Co. might have a unique opportunity to flip a young, emerging starter for valuable pieces that better fit the Dodgers' current needs. In most cases, it would be a dangerous move because it can come back to haunt the team that pulls the trigger. In the Dodgers case, who cares? Sheehan was effective in 2025 and is projected to be effective in 2026. Respectfully to his likeness, LA isn’t looking for effective, they’re looking for elite.

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