With the MLB regular season heading down the stretch, the Los Angeles Dodgers were forced to make a difficult roster move regarding Shohei Ohtani. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that the Japanese superstar is heading to the 15-day injured list, noting that while the team attempted to wait as long as possible, the decision became unavoidable.
“It’s the right thing to do; we tried to kick the can down the road as much as we could,” Roberts told reporters. In a corresponding move, the Dodgers are calling up top prospect Josue De Paula, who is set to step in at designated hitter Friday night against the Miami Marlins.
De Paula stands among the crown jewels of the Dodgers’ farm system. A top-five prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline, the power-hitting outfielder could offer immediate reinforcement for a franchise eyeing a historic three-peat this October.
While Roberts officially shut down Ohtani on the mound for the remainder of the year, optimism remains surrounding his bat. The hope is that the two-way phenom can recover in time for the regular-season finale against the rival San Francisco Giants.
Josue de Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses for a photo.
Expected impact from De Paula
With Ohtani sidelined, Los Angeles is relying on De Paula to help absorb the void left by the two-time MVP. Though their skill sets and career profiles are vastly different, the rookie’s minor league production suggests he is capable of making a smooth transition against Miami.
De Paula is coming off a heavy workload in the minors, appearing in a career-high 124 games this season. He set personal bests across the board with 27 home runs, 106 runs scored, 152 hits, and 104 RBIs, numbers that have Dodgers fans eager to see how quickly his bat translates to the big leagues.
As the Dodgers put the finishing touches on another postseason berth, taking care of business against the Marlins remains a top priority. For De Paula, the series marks a crucial opportunity to prove that his four years of development in the system have fully paid off.
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