De Paula Set for Major League Debut Friday
The Los Angeles Dodgers are promoting top prospect Josue De Paula, manager Dave Roberts announced Wednesday night. De Paula will join the club Friday for the opening game of a three‑game series against the Miami Marlins. The move coincides with Shohei Ohtani heading to the injured list as the corresponding roster transaction.
“We’re going to IL Shohei,” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 14-1 rout of the Cincinnati Reds. “Talking to Shohei, the doctors, the training staff, it’s the right thing to do. I think that we tried to kick the can as much as we could, but we are going to bring Josue. He’ll make his major league debut on Friday as a designated hitter.”
With Ohtani sidelined, De Paula is expected to handle the “lion’s share” of reps at designated hitter, Roberts added. The 21‑year‑old outfielder could also spell teammates at the corner outfield spots, though that appears less likely given Teoscar Hernández’s strong play and the team’s desire to test Kyle Tucker in a late‑season role.
Ohtani Placed on 15‑Day Injured List
Ohtani has been managing multiple ailments, including persistent soreness in his left knee, right biceps and neck. After sitting out four games last week, he returned Monday against the Reds and went 0‑for‑3 with two strikeouts and a walk, then missed Tuesday and Wednesday’s games. Because Ohtani is a two‑way player, he must be placed on the 15‑day injured list. He will be eligible to return for the final series of the regular season, and the Dodgers are optimistic that timeline holds.
Roberts Confident Ohtani Will Return for Postseason
“I do think that if the playoffs were tomorrow, he’d be in the lineup,” Roberts said of Ohtani. “And so now knowing that there’s got to be some at‑bats taken before the playoffs, and he understands that. So I’m pretty confident that he’ll be ready to go on that 15th day.”
Unorthodox Promotion from Double‑A
The Dodgers have historically avoided calling up top prospects unless a clear path to consistent playing time exists. De Paula’s arrival signals the organization sees a window to give its top prospect his first real opportunity in the majors.
“The thought was there is a little bit of a runway now with Shohei on the IL, and we can get him some major league at‑bats and see how that looks,” Roberts explained.
De Paula will be promoted directly from Double‑A, a first for a position player under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. The decision was influenced by Ohtani’s injury and the need to add De Paula to the 40‑man roster this offseason anyway.
“I think that our player development group is very confident in his ability to conduct an at‑bat,” Roberts said. “You could argue that the talent in Double A is similar to Triple A, as far as pure arms and arm talent. I think that we’ve seen him in camp for two or three years. He doesn’t run from velocity. He controls the strike zone. And I think that this is just a good opportunity for him to kind of cut his teeth in the big leagues.”
De Paula’s Breakout Season and Scouting Reports
Signed as an international free agent in 2022, De Paula entered the season ranked as the No. 20 prospect in baseball by The Athletic’s Keith Law. He is enjoying a breakout campaign in the Texas League, hitting .303 with a .948 OPS and 31 stolen bases over 124 games for Tulsa. De Paula hit his 27th home run of the season Wednesday in the Drillers’ 10‑1 win over Northwest Arkansas.
Evaluators across the organization have been impressed, with one noting that De Paula possesses the Dodgers’ best pure hit tool since Corey Seager.
Heyward Praises De Paula’s Swing and Approach
De Paula has spent time working with special advisor Jason Heyward, who raved about the youngster’s swing and overall approach.
“It’s definitely something that’s fun to watch,” Heyward said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “It’s much easier said than done, what he’s able to do in the box, maintain his tempo. He goes at the pace he would like to go at, and that allows him to make good decisions, whether it’s chasing very rarely and on pitches that are in the zone, getting the kind of swing off that he wants to get off. That’s the name of the game.”
Dodgers Extend Win Streak, Near Playoff Clincher
With Wednesday’s victory, Los Angeles (89‑57) has won seven straight games. The Dodgers extended their lead to four games over the Atlanta Braves for the second seed in the National League playoff standings and can clinch a postseason berth as early as Saturday. Their magic number to clinch the National League West stands at six.
