The Los Angeles Dodgers remained patient with Emmet Sheehan throughout his inconsistencies this season. However, that changed last week when the right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding move for Tarik Skubal’s arrival.

That decision came one day after Sheehan struggled against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 2. In that game, he allowed five runs on six hits (three home runs) with four strikeouts and a walk in 2.2 innings in an 8-4 loss at Dodger Stadium.

By sending Sheehan to Oklahoma City, the Dodgers hoped to provide him with a better environment to work through some of the issues that had contributed to his difficult season.

Sheehan made his first start for the Comets on Saturday night in a back-and-forth game against the Salt Lake Bees, the Los Angeles Angels’ Triple-A affiliate.

However, the right-hander did not remain in the game for long.

Sheehan was removed after throwing 22 pitches and recording only two outs.

According to Fabian Ardaya from The Athletic, the Dodgers had already planned for Sheehan’s first start back in the minors to be a shortened outing.

It remains unclear why Los Angeles wanted him to make a short start or exactly how long the organization intended for him to pitch.

It would stand to reason that the goal was for Sheehan to complete at least one full inning, if not two.

He made the appearance on five days of rest, which is in line with the schedule the Dodgers have maintained for their starting pitchers.

One plausible explanation is the location.

The game was played at The Ballpark at America First Square in Jordan, Utah, which can be a challenging environment for pitchers.

Sheehan began his outing by issuing a leadoff walk before retiring the next two hitters he faced. He then surrendered an RBI double and was removed from the game.

His fastball averaged 94.8 mph during the appearance, slightly higher than his 94.4 mph season average with the Dodgers.

Sheehan went 4-8 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 95.1 innings across 20 starts prior to getting demoted. He had 108 strikeouts against 30 walks.

Despite the difficult season, Sheehan still possesses several qualities that explain why the Dodgers remained patient with him for so long.

His ability to miss bats gives him an important foundation as a starting pitcher. When his delivery and command are working together, he can attack hitters rather than simply trying to avoid damage.

Sheehan has also shown accountability during difficult stretches. Instead of avoiding responsibility when outings have gone poorly, he has acknowledged his struggles and continued working to correct them.

That willingness to adjust will be particularly important during his time with Oklahoma City. Triple-A gives him an opportunity to focus on execution without facing the immediate pressure attached to every start for a World Series contender.

The Dodgers have significant rotation depth following the Skubal trade, so Sheehan no longer needs to be rushed. His challenge is to use this opportunity to refine his command, regain consistency and demonstrate that he can again become a dependable option for Los Angeles.