Dodgers' Sheehan not worried about velocity drop in first start

Young Dodgers starter says his delivery was off, but expects to get it right

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:34pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the various angles and planes of a baseball pitcher's windup and delivery, conceptually representing the technical adjustments a young player must make to regain his form.A cubist interpretation of a young Dodgers pitcher's delivery, reflecting the early-season adjustments he must make.Los Angeles Today

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan isn't concerned about his velocity dropping in his first start of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sheehan, who had an impressive 2.82 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 15 appearances last year, said his delivery was a bit off but that he's working to correct it.

Why it matters

Sheehan has emerged as a key part of the Dodgers' pitching rotation, so any concerns about his velocity or performance would be noteworthy. However, the young starter doesn't seem overly worried, suggesting this was likely just an early-season hiccup.

The details

In his first start of 2026, Sheehan allowed four earned runs, a home run, and walked two batters in 3.1 innings against the Diamondbacks. After the game, Sheehan said he believes his delivery was a bit off, but that he's confident he can get it right through hard work.

  • Sheehan made his first start of the 2026 season on March 30.

The players

Emmet Sheehan

A young starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers who had an impressive 2.82 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 15 appearances last season.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Major League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona that the Dodgers played against in Sheehan's first start of the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“I think it's just (that) my delivery is a little bit off. But we're working hard on it, so it's going to get right. I know it will.”

— Emmet Sheehan, Dodgers Pitcher

The takeaway

Sheehan's early-season velocity drop doesn't seem to be a major concern, as the young Dodgers pitcher believes it's just an issue with his delivery that he can correct through hard work. As long as he doesn't report any injury concerns, this appears to be a minor blip that the Dodgers expect him to work through.