Dodgers’ Sheehan undergoes season-ending elbow surgery

Emmet Sheehan’s 2024 season is over.

The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander underwent season-ending surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament, the team announced Thursday.

Sheehan specifically underwent the full UCL repair procedure commonly known as Tommy John surgery, a source told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Typical recovery time from the procedure can be anywhere from 12-to-18 months.

Sheehan, who made his big-league debut last June, was expected to be a key arm for the Dodgers this year as either a back-end starter or a swingman. However, he hasn’t pitched since feeling forearm inflammation during a bullpen session early in spring training, and began his season on the injured list.

The 24-year-old went 4-1 with a 4.92 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 64 strikeouts, and one save over 13 appearances (11 starts) last season.

While the Dodgers have received solid pitching from their healthy starters this year, they also have 11 pitchers, including Sheehan, currently on the IL. Starters Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May are rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and a torn flexor tendon, respectively, while Walker Buehler just returned after a nearly two-year absence following elbow surgery.

Sheehan’s season-ending injury leaves the Dodgers sorely lacking rotation depth behind their current starting five. Right-hander Landon Knack, who’s currently at Triple-A Oklahoma City, is their only healthy starter on the 40-man roster who’s not already in the big-league rotation.