The Los Angeles Dodgers are likely making some adjustments to their roster for the National League Division Series, specifically with the pitching staff, but Emmet Sheehan doesn’t appear to be one of them.
Change is coming to the Dodgers bullpen group given their overall performance against the Cincinnati Reds, but also due to the makeup of their new opponent’s roster.
Sheehan was among the relievers who struggled in the eighth inning of both Wild Card Series games the Dodgers played, as he retired just one of five batters faced. He was removed from the game in the middle of an at-bat despite having a 1-2 count against Reds outfielder Will Benson.
It was the correct decision by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, given that Sheehan’s control was erratic and he had nearly hit Benson with a slider on an 0-2 pitch. Despite the unusual timing for the pitching change, Roberts remains confident in Sheehan moving forward.
“I trust him. It was his first kind of real crack at kind of late leverage,” Roberts said. “He wasn’t sharp, but I believe in him. I really do.
“And I think for me to think that he can get through Benson, although he had count leverage, to then feel like he can get through McLain, he would have been over 30 pitches. I just didn’t think his stuff was as sharp.”
As for removing Sheehan from the at-bat, Roberts didn’t want to chance losing count leverage against Benson and was comfortable in any scenario that would emerge from Alex Vesia taking over.
“I just had a gut feeling that, give Vesia a chance to get leverage versus Andujar or if they leave Benson in,” Roberts explained. “And I liked him against McLain and Freidl. That was my thought.
“But Emmet did a fine job. It just wasn’t sharp.”
Sheehan was one of the Dodgers’ best performers down the stretch of the regular season, with a 1.42 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 25.1 innings pitched.
Dodgers trusting Roki Sasaki for high-leverage
While Sheehan struggled with his first assignment out of the bullpen in the playoffs, their other converted reliever turned in an excellent performance.
Roki Sasaki entered in the ninth inning with the Dodgers holding an 8-4 lead and promptly retired the side on just 11 pitches. He recorded two strikeouts and touched a season-best 101.4 mph on his fastball.
Roberts said Sasaki will continue pitching in big spots during the postseason.
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