“It wasn’t one throw or pitch” – Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan reveals UCL injury stemmed from prolonged wear and tear

Emmet Sheehan had his 2024 campaign unfortunately cut short after the 24-year-old suffered a UCL tear in his throwing elbow. The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher was forced to undergo season-ending Tommy John Surgery to repair the partial UCL tear and will be sidelined for the remainder of 2024.

The young pitcher said he opted to undergo Tommy John Surgery with an internal brace, which comes with an expected 13-month recovery timeline. However, the recovery process is unpredictable, especially if he were to suffer any type of setback during the recovery process.

"More from Sheehan, who doesn’t even know how long he was pitching with the partial tear in his elbow" - @DodgersNation

When asked about the injury, Sheehan himself revealed that the injury did not occur during any one specific pitch. He believes it was something that progressed over time.

“It wasn’t one throw or pitch," Sheehan told reporters. "I don't really know how long it's been in there but it could have been a while," he continued.

It's an unfortunate turn of events for Sheehan, who was looking to establish himself as an MLB talent. A sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021, Sheehan was vying for a rotation spot during Spring Training. However, a forearm and oblique injury kept him sidelined. Now, he will need to attempt and make an impact beyond 2024.

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Emmet Sheehan joins a growing list of injured Dodgers pitchers

It's been a rough season for the Los Angeles Dodgers in terms of health. With Emmet Sheehan undergoing Tommy John Surgery, he is just the latest player finding themselves unavailable for the club. Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, and Dustin May are all currently sitting on the IL.

Those are just the starting pitchers who are unavailable for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Relievers Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Connor Brogdon, and Joe Kelly are also on the IL, as well as slugger Max Muncy. Even though the Dodgers remain one of the best teams in the MLB, they are not without adversity.

"The Dodgers made numerous roster moves on Friday that included a tough decision, Max Muncy heading to the IL and the returns of Jason Heyward and Miguel Vargas." - @DodgerInsider