LOS ANGELES — While the Dodgers’ pitching plan in October won’t be conventional, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said a few weeks ago that they fully expect to bring “big boy stuff” to the table with the pitching staff.
Rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan continues to prove he wants to be part of those plans, showing quality power stuff, striking out nine over 4 2/3 hitless innings in the Dodgers’ 7-2 win over the Giants on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
- Games remaining (10): vs. SF (3), at COL (4), at SF (3)
- Standings update: The Dodgers (94-58) clinched the NL West title on Saturday. They trail the Braves (98-55) by 3 1/2 games for the No. 1 seed in the National League. They lead the Brewers (87-66) by 7 1/2 games for a bye in the Wild Card Series round.
- Magic number: 2, for a bye in the Wild Card Series round
J.D. Martinez’s solo homer (30)
“He was fantastic tonight,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I thought from pitch one, the conviction, the fastball had true life to it. All the secondaries, the slider, the changeup down below. … He pitched a heck of a ballgame.”
Before Thursday’s game, Roberts said the team sees Sheehan as a reliever in the postseason with the ability to give them length, likely following an opener or pitching the middle innings of a game. It’s a bucket of players that also includes the likes of Ryan Yarbrough, Michael Grove, Ryan Pepiot and Gavin Stone.
Of that group, it’s hard to dispute that Sheehan, despite not having a lot of big league experience, has the best pure stuff. It’s why the Dodgers felt comfortable calling him up straight from Double-A this season.
On Thursday, Sheehan showed all the signs why the Dodgers are feeling confident having him in their tentative plans. The biggest reason is his four-seam fastball, which graded out as one of the best in the system when he was in the Minors. He threw the pitch 45 times of his 93 pitches, getting seven whiffs and nine called strikes.
The cast of the Dodgers
“He’s right there in the conversation,” Roberts said. “He does something different in the sense that, I think in the organization he’s probably got one of the top fastballs in all of our organization and on this team.
“It’s just something different. He gets righties and lefties out. He’s unique. And so to be able to run him out there any time we want and he’s doing his part and kind of handling himself in big spots and big innings against good opponents, so, yeah, he’s right there at the top of the conversation.”
Dave Roberts on Dodgers’ 7-2 win
But when Sheehan is at his best, he has his secondary pitches working. For him to have success in the postseason, that’s going to be the biggest difference. He had both the slider and changeup working Thursday, getting six swings and misses on the slider and four on the change. In total, Sheehan recorded 18 whiffs, which is a quality the Dodgers value come October.
“Really important, I think,” Sheehan said of having his secondary pitches working. “Whenever that’s in zone and around the zone, that always goes better for me and it keeps them off the fastball, too, which allows me to use it later in counts — which is really important.”
If there is one risk with Sheehan — as well as the other rookie pitchers — it is they haven’t been in that situation come October. It’ll be learning on the job for Sheehan and others. But with every start, Sheehan continues to show he has gotten better.
Against the division-rival Giants alone, Sheehan has tossed 10 2/3 hitless innings in two starts. Since coming back to the Majors on Sept. 9, Sheehan has allowed one or fewer runs in three of his four appearances. With two weeks left until the Dodgers have to make a decision, Sheehan is pitching his way into a key role.
“Stuff certainly plays,” Roberts said. “But also betting on young players being able to manage emotions, put the blinders on and execute pitches. What we’ve seen, betting on these guys, their growth, their compete, their preparation and lastly the stuff. All those components are the ingredients for postseason success.”