This season, the Dodgers have been plagued by injuries. It has destroyed their pitching staff, forcing them to rely on a number of rookie pitchers to get them through. To their credit, despite some growing pains, the rookies have done their tasks effectively.
It’s been incredibly wonderful to see some of these individuals develop, and their contributions to the team’s success haven’t gone ignored. Who knows where the Dodgers would be without them, and I’m sure it means a lot when their teammates acknowledge them.
That’s exactly what Freddie Freeman did when rookie Emmet Sheehan beat the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night. Sheehan wasn’t at his best, but he stuck with it and gave the squad a chance, which is all the organization could ask for.
“I just feel like they’re still giving us a chance to win, and I feel like with our offense, we’re always in it,” said first baseman Freddie Freeman, who had three hits (a single, double, and triple) in the game. “It’s like today – five innings, four runs given up by he (Sheehan), right?” So that’s a 7.00 ERA or something along those lines. However, it provided us with an opportunity.”
Sheehan pitched five innings, surrendering four runs and five hits. He appeared shaky in the first two innings but seemed to settle down in the third.
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Sheehan, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, and Michael Grove have a collective ERA of 6.08 entering Grove’s start on Tuesday. Despite the higher run average, the Dodgers have won 16 of the 25 games started by rookie pitchers through Tuesday. It’s a credit to the offensive machine that LA has been this season, as well as the pitchers’ perseverance in the face of adversity.
“I believe it can be interpreted differently. However, I believe they are giving us a chance to win. That is all you can ask of them while they are learning. Every five days, they take the ball. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Like today, that was a terrific start for us – it gave us a chance, kept us in it for five innings, we scored some runs, and then the bullpen came in and shut it down.”
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If the rookies continue to provide Los Angeles solid chances to win games, they will be kept in the lineup. The experience they are gaining right now is unparalleled, and the Dodgers may have some future rotation cornerstones on their hands.
It’s been impressive to watch, and as the season winds down, LA will likely rely even more on the youngsters. The team is expected to hunt for help before the trade deadline, but these rookies have made their mark and may be here to stay.
