Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers have relied heavily on their pitching depth this season due to Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell missing extended time because of injuries.
Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski have become mainstays in the starting rotation, with Eric Lauer recently joining the group as well after being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Manager Dave Roberts knows it isn’t ideal that Glasnow and Snell are unavailable, but believes the aforementioned pitchers have stepped up in their absences, via Doug Padilla of the Southern California News Group.
“Not having our veteran guys, Snell and Glasnow, being active, and to be able to know they’re coming back is huge,” Roberts said. “But this is a good opportunity for us. It doesn’t feel great for some of these guys that are not active, but for the Dodgers, this is a good thing for our organization to give these other guys innings.”
Sheehan, who has made the most of his opportunity, praised his teammates for helping the team stay afloat while two of their most important starters remain sidelined.
“I think it just goes to show the amount of depth that we have every year and the way they plan for whatever could happen throughout the year,” Sheehan said. “It’s been really cool. Hopefully we can keep it going and just give our team a chance to win every time.”
Sheehan, now in his third season with the Dodgers, has gone 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 9.7 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched across 12 starts thus far. Despite lasting only 1.1 innings in his most recent start against the Los Angeles Angels, he has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six appearances.
Wrobleski has been a pleasant surprise after initially beginning the year as the Dodgers’ sixth starter. He owns a 7-2 record with a 2.95 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 12 games (11 starts).
Lauer has also found success since joining L.A., pitching to a 2.76 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in three starts. He recently attributed his success to the team’s pitching coaches helping him simplify his approach on the mound.
The trio of pitchers are part of a starting rotation that also includes Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Ohtani and Yamamoto are having Cy Young-caliber seasons, while Sasaki is currently in the midst of an impressive stretch after a slow start to the season.
Dodgers starting rotation finding success
Dodgers starting pitchers have gone at least six innings 18 times over their last 31 games, while allowing one run or fewer 16 times during the span.
Dodgers starters had given up two runs or less in 16 consecutive games before the streak was snapped on Wednesday with Ohtani allowing four runs (three earned) over 6.2 innings.
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