Training regimen adapts to six-man rotation
Emmet Sheehan has adjusted his between-starts routine to accommodate the Dodgers' six-man rotation, which sometimes extends his rest period to seven days instead of the traditional five or six. "The day after I pitch, I usually try to do lower body lift. So, try to crush my legs as much as possible so that I'm as far as possible away from my start so I have time to recover," Sheehan explained.
The right-hander follows a structured four-day cycle: heavy leg work and conditioning immediately after starts, followed by bullpen sessions with upper body lifting on day two, circuit training on day three, and sprint work the day before his next outing. "I heard Pedro Martinez used to do that actually," Sheehan noted about his pre-start sprint routine.
Bullpen intensity mirrors game situations
Sheehan has modified his bullpen approach to better prepare for game conditions. "I've started to throw a little harder in my bullpens and give a little more intent recently. I think that's helped with just finding the command in game with that type of intent," he said. The pitcher believes slower bullpen work makes it harder to replicate game feel and locate pitches effectively.
Through 11 starts in 2026, Sheehan has posted a 4.50 ERA across 58.0 innings with 62 strikeouts and a 1.16 WHIP. His 3-2 record includes quality outings like his June 1st start where he allowed just 2 earned runs over 6.1 innings, though he took the loss in a 3-2 game.
Learning from Kershaw's deception
Sheehan credits Clayton Kershaw with teaching him the value of pitch tunneling over raw break. "The first time we played catch in City Field in 2023, just seeing the slider come out of his hand and the fastball come out of his hand and like how similar they look until they get 5 feet away from you," Sheehan recalled.
This lesson shifted his focus toward making hitters "wait until the last possible second to make a decision whether to swing or not," rather than chasing maximum pitch movement. Sheehan regularly seeks Kershaw's insights during games, asking about specific situations and approaches.
Family support from non-baseball background
Despite coming from a family without baseball experience, Sheehan receives strong support from the East Coast. "They all watch the games back on the East Coast and stay up late to watch, which I really appreciate," he said. His sister served as his primary catch partner growing up until his velocity increased beyond her comfort level.
Sheehan didn't begin serious weight training until college and describes himself as a late bloomer who "basically didn't play until junior year of high school." His mother emphasized academic effort alongside athletic development, creating balance that Sheehan credits for his perspective on handling both success and struggles in professional baseball.