ST. LOUIS -- As the Dodgers evaluate which arms to keep at the back end of their rotation, Emmet Sheehan continues to present a perplexing case.
Sheehan looked to be hitting his stride in his previous start, when he matched his career high with 10 strikeouts across 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Cubs. But one week later, the 26-year-old right-hander stumbled by allowing four runs to the Cardinals in 4 2/3 innings in Friday night's series-opening 7-2 loss at Busch Stadium.
The Dodgers have lost three straight games for the first time this season, scoring two runs or fewer in each game.
Every time Sheehan has taken the mound this season, all eyes have been on the radar gun, as he has had persistent fastball velocity issues dating back to Spring Training. He seemed to have found a way to manage his velocity in his past few outings, but on Friday, he averaged just 93.4 mph with his four-seamer, a regular-season career low.
At the same time, Sheehan still generated plenty of swing-and-miss, falling two shy of his career high with 19 whiffs, 10 of which came on his slider. He struck out eight and did not issue a walk, but he also balked in a run in the first inning and gave up eight hits, including two home runs.
Sheehan may have the stuff to work around his diminished fastball velocity at times, but it remains a concern for the Dodgers. And with Blake Snell's return from the injured list drawing nearer, the competition at the back end of the rotation is heating up.
Snell is set for what should be his second-to-last rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He could feasibly slot into the Dodgers' rotation toward the end of the week of May 11. That means that the three starters pitching against the Cardinals this weekend at Busch Stadium -- Sheehan, Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski -- have limited time to prove that they deserve to stay in the Dodgers' rotation.