LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers needed six steady innings from Emmet Sheehan on Thursday night. What they got was something far more revealing: a glimpse of a young pitcher beginning to understand how to lead.
In a 5-2 victory over the Giants at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium, Sheehan delivered his most complete outing of the season while quietly showcasing another layer of growth — this time inside the dugout with rookie catcher Dalton Rushing.
The box score reads six innings, two runs, two hits, two walks and six strikeouts. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it "his best outing" of the year. But the most impressive part of Sheehan's night may have come between innings rather than between pitches.
While the Dodgers salvaged a split of a frustrating four-game series, Thursday also offered a small snapshot of how much responsibility is beginning to settle onto Sheehan's shoulders.
The Dodgers' lineup already looked unconventional before first pitch. Shohei Ohtani had a scheduled day off after throwing seven shutout innings Wednesday night. Mookie Betts was also out after playing three straight games since returning from the injured list.
Will Smith led off as the designated hitter — "America's catcher" stepping into the Ohtani role for a night — and immediately looked comfortable there. On the fourth pitch he saw from Landen Roupp, Smith launched a 93 mph sinker the other way for a leadoff home run.
The Dodgers added another run in the second when Hyeseong Kim, mired in an 0-for-12 skid entering the night, lined an RBI single.
For four innings, the right-hander looked entirely in control. His fastball sat around 95 mph with life. The slider consistently disrupted timing. Giants hitters rarely squared him up. The first hit he allowed didn't come until the fourth inning — a single by Rafael Devers.
"Just being more consistent with mechanics," Sheehan said afterward when asked about his rhythm on the mound.
There was tempo to everything Sheehan did Thursday. He attacked quickly. He trusted his stuff. And in a season where the Dodgers need every arm to step up, it was a performance that showed just how far this young pitcher has come — not just as a talent, but as a leader in the making.