{"id":297361,"date":"2026-05-03T02:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T02:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/297361\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T02:02:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T02:02:12","slug":"why-dodgers-emmet-sheehan-has-k-als-stitched-into-glove","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/297361\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Dodgers’ Emmet Sheehan has ‘K ALS’ stitched into glove"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ST. LOUIS\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Dodgers<\/a> right-hander Emmet Sheehan<\/a> first met MLB.com researcher extraordinaire Sarah Langs during the World Series last year. But he\u2019d known of her before that.<\/p>\n

Langs, who turned 33 on Saturday, made her mark on the industry early in her career. Even as a young writer, her talent for digging up interesting stats, along with her contagious positivity and love for the game, set her apart in a crowded media landscape.<\/p>\n

Langs was aware of Sheehan too, not only for his blossoming major league career, but also the message stitched into his glove: \u201cK ALS.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh my goodness \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d this is so incredibly meaningful \ud83e\udd7a\ud83e\udd7a\ud83e\udd7a\ud83e\udd7a<\/p>\n

Thanks so much to Emmet and everyone who made this happen \ud83d\udc99 https:\/\/t.co\/onlU0ZSNCt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 2, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

Langs was diagnosed in 2021 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Geherig\u2019s disease after the Hall of Fame New York Yankees first baseman. Langs advocates for ALS research, partnering with Project ALS, and frequently highlights others who are raising awareness and funds for the cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust getting the chance to meet her was awesome,\u201d Sheehan said in a conversation with The Times. \u201cShe\u2019s a great advocate and a really smart mind in the world of baseball. So it\u2019s awesome to have her.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Sheehan pitches, Langs posts pictures of the message on his glove. For his start Friday, Langs\u2019 post included the caption: \u201cMay is ALS Awareness Month. Fitting that Emmet Sheehan is on the mound tonight. His gloves all say \u2018K ALS.\u2019 How lucky are we to have that sentiment represented on an MLB mound?!\u201d<\/p>\n

The next day, MLB posted a video of Sheehan wishing Langs a happy birthday and letting her know he was gifting her a glove as a token of his appreciation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy I get to be a part of the league where [ALS research and awareness] is kind of a main focus,\u201d Sheehan said Saturday, also highlighting Chicago Cubs broadcaster Jon \u201cBoog\u201d Sciambi\u2019s work through Project Main Street. \u201cIt\u2019s been really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheehan has displayed \u201cK ALS\u201d on his gloves since college, when he joined a Boston College program that embraced the cause.<\/p>\n

Pete Frates, who popularized the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, was a former B.C. baseball standout. And he returned to serve as the director of baseball operations in 2012, the year he was diagnosed with ALS.<\/p>\n

During Sheehan\u2019s first year at Boston College, he got to spend time with Frates and his family before Frates died in December 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked about it a ton,\u201d Sheehan said. \u201cIt was a huge part of our program. So it was a good opportunity to learn about it and just how terrible the disease is and how it can affect people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lesson stuck with him. And now, as a major league player, he\u2019s passing it on.<\/p>\n