Emmet Sheehan extends leash in Dodgers rotation with best start in months

SAN DIEGO — Emmet Sheehan was not pitching for his job Sunday.That didn’t mean, however, it wasn’t a high-stakes outing.Entering the day, the 2026 season had not gone anywhere near what the 26-year-old right-hander planned.He began the afternoon with an ERA over 5.00.

He’d given up multiple runs in all but one of his first 14 starts.His fastball velocity and execution of secondary stuff had been inconsistent all year.Things seemed to reach a tipping point last week when, after Sheehan gave up six runs in 3 ⅓ innings to the Orioles, manager Dave Roberts ominously said “he’ll get a start this next one, and we’ll see where it takes us.”And while Roberts’ tone had softened by Sunday morning — the skipper clarified that Sheehan still “has plenty of leash” to figure things out, especially with the Dodgers lacking any viable rotation replacements in the wake of River Ryan reaggravating a hamstring injury in Triple-A last week — the pressure on the third-year big leaguer and former top-prospect talent was nonetheless mounting.“It’s got to be better,” Roberts declared.

“This is a good test.”In the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Padres, Sheehan earned a passing grade with his best start in months. He held the Padres to one run over five innings.He struck out five batters and yielded only two hits.

And for the first time in a while, he finally flashed some long-lost consistency with his stuff.“He knows that there’s more in there,” Roberts said pregame.“Obviously, we think the world of Emmet.

He’s got really good stuff.There’s been times where it’s good until it’s not.

I think the main thing is, this is just a good opportunity for him to go out there and give us a chance to win a series.”Sheehan did so by going on the attack early, leaning heavily on his mid-90s mph fastball to get ahead in counts before consistently snapping off curveballs, sliders and changeups to put hitters away.His command wavered a bit as the day ...