It’s not like the Dodgers have been using Sheehan as an opener; he’s lasted over six innings in six of his 11 starts this year prior to Sunday night, including in each of his last two starts. It just so happened that Sheehan didn’t have it on Sunday, which then forced the Dodgers bullpen in early — with Jonathan Hernandez essentially sealing LA’s defeat after allowing six earned runs in the seventh.
Nonetheless, for manager Dave Roberts, he is not concerned whatsoever regarding the Dodgers’ starting rotation situation. And quite frankly, there’s not much cause for concern for a team that is still leading the division by 7.5 games.
“I feel really good about the starters going forward,” Roberts said in his postgame presser, via SportsNet LA.
“I feel really good about the starters going forward.”
Dave Roberts addresses the media after the #Dodgers lose to the Angels, 13-5. pic.twitter.com/Qpm94j7EU7
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It is indeed a bit of a concern that the Dodgers are missing Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, two of the team’s best starters. Even then, LA is still rocking a front three of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki, with Justin Wrobleski and Sheehan being very capable of filling in at the back of the rotation.
The most urgent matter for the Dodgers is keeping their top starting pitchers healthy, but considering the cushion they’ve built for themselves in the NL West standings, they have the luxury of being cautious. This loss to the Angels was an outlier anyway, especially with one member of their bullpen being far from his best.
The Los Angeles Dodgers could not end their three-game set against in-city rival Los Angeles Angels on a high note. After taking the first two games by a total run differential of 10-2, the Dodgers’ pitching staff faltered on Sunday, allowing the Angels to score 13 in a 13-5 defeat.
