As the Los Angeles Dodgers navigate the impact of multiple pitcher injuries, they have the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani and Emmet Sheehan working toward their respective returns down the line.
Kershaw is closest of the aforementioned trio, as he’s likely to make a final rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday before getting activated off the 60-day injured list. May 17 is the earliest Kershaw can return, though he’s likely not going to be reinstated until the following day.
Meanwhile, Ohtani continues to throw a light bullpen session and a fuller one each week, and Sheehan has advanced to facing batters, including Tommy Edman.
According to Sonja Chen of MLB.com, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sheehan is nearing the start of a rehab assignment:
Emmet Sheehan has been facing hitters, including Tommy Edman today, per Dave Roberts. Roberts doesn't know when Sheehan could begin a rehab assignment, but "he's getting close." He threw around 40 pitches today and will be built up as a starter.
— Sonja Chen (@SonjaMChen) May 8, 2025
During his appearance at DodgerFest in January, Sheehan said he was pleased with how the recovery process had been going and there were signs a rehab assignment could start around May or June.
Sheehan had Tommy John surgery on May 15, 2024. The procedure was performed Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, and ended Sheehan’s 2024 season before it ever began.
He was competing to be the Dodgers fifth starter heading into that year but was shut down after a bullpen session during Spring Training because of body soreness. That later was specified to be an issue with Sheehan’s throwing arm, and he began the 2024 season on the injured list due to an official designation of right forearm inflammation.
Sheehan made his MLB debut during the 2023 season as a 23-year-old. He went 4-1 with a 4.92 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 13 games (11 starts).
Emmet Sheehan kept optimistic view
Despite facing a prolonged recovery process that would cost him all of 2024 and roughly half of the 2025 season as well, Sheehan maintained a positive viewpoint.
“I don’t really think there’s any point in being down in the dumps about it right now,” he said last year. “There’s a lot of work to be done ahead of me. But been in situations before where it didn’t seem likely that I was going to make it to the big leagues or to get drafted, stuff like that.
“I don’t know, I feel like there’s always a light at the end, so it’ll be alright.”
Some of Sheehan’s confidence and comfort was based in an increase of success stories with pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery.
“I think definitely easier now than it would have been 20-30 years ago,” he said. “It’s a lot more common now and they have a lot more experience rehabbing this type of thing.
“So definitely good to be around a lot of people that have that experience. And I haven’t been through a rehab that long, but I know what it looks like, so not too scary.”
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