
Allowed three runs in 2⅔ innings in first start
Emmet Sheehan wasn’t the only Dodgers pitching prospect promoted from the incredible Double-A Tulsa rotation this week. Landon Knack joined Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, put was pulled in the third inning of his debut thanks to a long inning.
Knack had a 2.20 ERA in 12 starts for Tulsa, with 61 strikeouts against only 12 walks. He struck out eight last Saturday in 7⅔ innings, the only starting pitcher in the Dodgers organization to pitch into the eighth inning in 2023.
Sheehan was originally slated to start for Oklahoma City on Friday, but on Wednesday he got the call that his promotion would skip a rung. Sheehan pitched six scoreless innings against the Giants on Friday, allowing no hits, picking up right where he left off after a 1.86 ERA for Tulsa, with 88 strikeouts in 53⅓ innings.
“Our Double-A staff this year was as talented as any staff in baseball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday.
First Triple-A strikeout for Landon Knack ✅ pic.twitter.com/r6iaOhe9tj
— Oklahoma City Dodgers (@okc_dodgers) June 18, 2023
Knack on Saturday against Salt Lake (an Angels affiliate) got through the first two innings scoreless, but allowed home runs to Trey Cabbage and Jake Lamb in a three-run third inning. Knack also had a seven-pitch walk of Brett Phillips, and needed nine pitches to strike out Jo Adell. After a two-out walk, Knack was pulled from a 33-pitch inning.
He allowed three runs on four hits and three walks in his 2⅔ innings. It’s just the fourth time this season Knack has walked more than one batter. He has 15 walks in 13 starts and a 6.3-percent strikeout rate between Tulsa and Oklahoma City this season.
On the season, Knack is tied for the lead in the Dodgers minors with 60 innings pitched, along with his new Oklahoma City teammate Matt Andriese, who starts Sunday.