The Los Angeles Dodgers are having a strong start to the 2024 MLB season after adding Shohei Ohtani and retaining a host of stout contributors. Los Angeles is 32-17 and sits atop the NL West standings. Nevertheless, the team was hit with a harsh Emmet Sheehan elbow injury. Sheena revealed his painfully real thoughts on his injury amid his team's promising start.
Sheehan underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-May and faces over a year of rehab. The right-hander spoke to reporters about the injury, emphasizing how disappointing it is to deal with.
“Super frustrating,” Sheehan said Monday, per The Orange Country Register. “Obviously being on a team like this, it’s really cool to be around these guys and getting to play with them is a great opportunity that I was looking forward to. But there’s no real point in thinking about that now. Kind of just moving on to the next thing and trying to progress and get better and be healthy for next year.”
Hopefully, Emmet Sheehan undergoes an efficient injury recovery period. Sheehan went 4-1 with a 4.92 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) for the Dodgers in 2023. He was the frontrunner to open the 2024 season in the Dodgers' starting rotation as Walker Buehler recovered from his own elbow surgery.
Unfortunately, Sheehan felt what was described as “forearm discomfort” during spring training. Medical personnel diagnosed him with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. Sheehan said that he and the team attempted to take the non-surgical route, but it did not work out.
Emmet Sheehan's injury hurts, but the Dodgers look to hold things down during his hiatus.
Dodgers look to continue strong start to the 2024 season
The Dodgers are coming off two promising series in May. First, the team won two of its three matchups against the San Francisco Giants. Then, the Los Angeles team achieved the same result in their string of games against the Cincinnati Reds. The Dodgers have solid depth and plenty of stardom.
Two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani is leading the team's offense with purpose. The 29-year-old bats a .353 average which ranks him second in the league. In addition, he has hit 13 home runs, has been responsible for 13 RBI, and leads the league in OPS (1.080).
Ohani brings an offensive spark like no other, but he is not the only one making an impact.
Mookie Betts is continuing his impressive contributions to the Dodgers in 2024. The 2023 Silver Slugger Award winner has batted a .337 average and hit eight home runs along with 29 RBI and a .988 OPS. With Betts and Ohtani, the Dodgers offense is hard to stop.
On the defensive side, LA is led by Tyler Glasnow. Glasnow spent the previous six years with the Tampa Bay Rays before signing with the Dodgers during the 2023-24 free agency period. The 30-year-old right-hander has gone 6-2 and thrown a league-leading 81 strikeouts so far during the 2024 season. Moreover, his 0.90 WHIP ranks fifth in the league.
The Dodgers have everything necessary to achieve success amid exciting times. Emmet Sheehan might be injured, but his team will use his energy from the sideline to keep rolling.
