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Emmet Sheehan lasted just 3-1/3 innings and surrendered six runs as the Dodgers were routed by the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, per the LA Times. It’s the first time the Dodgers have lost back-to-back games since May — a streak that had to end eventually, but the way this one unfolded is still worth dissecting.

Sheehan’s night was rough from the jump. Six runs in fewer than four innings is the kind of outing that puts stress on every part of a pitching staff, and it came at a particularly inconvenient time with the bullpen already short-handed after Blake Treinen hit the injured list with elbow inflammation earlier this week. Sheehan, the tall right-hander who burst onto the scene as a rookie back in 2023 with that electric fastball-slider combination, has had stretches like this before. His stuff can be dominant when he commands it, but when things go sideways — particularly when he loses the feel for his slider — the results can get ugly in a hurry. That was the story Saturday. He’s the kind of pitcher who will bounce back with a gem his next time out, but nights like these are a reminder that consistency remains the next step in his development.

The hazy conditions at the ballpark didn’t help matters, though I’m not going to make excuses — the Orioles hit the ball hard and Sheehan didn’t have his best stuff. That’s a bad combination against a lineup with this much talent. Baltimore has been one of the more dangerous offensive clubs in the American League, and they showed exactly why.

What stands out to me about this loss isn’t the final score — blowouts happen over 162 games. It’s the timing. The Dodgers had been on an impressive run of avoiding consecutive losses, and that kind of sustained excellence is what separates good teams from great ones. Dropping two in a row to the Orioles after that dramatic walk-off win by Dalton Rushing the night before stings a little extra. You’d like to see the club ride that momentum, not give it back immediately.

For the rotation, Sheehan occupying a spot means the Dodgers need him to give them length. Outings like this force the middle relievers into extended duty, and with DJ Stewart expected back soon and the staff navigating multiple injuries, every start matters. The margin for error in a rotation is thinner than people realize — when your fourth or fifth starter gets knocked around early, the ripple effects show up two and three days later in the bullpen.

The bigger picture here is that this team is still in excellent shape. One bad loss — even two in a row — doesn’t change the trajectory. But Sheehan needs to be better, and he knows it. The Dodgers can absorb a clunker here and there, but they can’t afford to have any starter consistently giving them fewer than five innings, especially heading into a road trip. I expect Sheehan to respond. He’s got the arm for it. Saturday just wasn’t his night.

Source(s): Staff (LA Times) | First reported: June 21, 2026 11:38 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers