Josue De Paula is ready to step into a pinch-hitting role for the Los Angeles Dodgers this October after a brief but dominant stint filling in for Shohei Ohtani at designated hitter last month. The 21-year-old was called up from Double-A and posted a 1.081 OPS in 11 games, quickly proving why he was ranked as the No. 4 prospect in baseball.
Because the Dodgers are not going to bench Ohtani at designated hitter and De Paula’s defense in left field is considered lackluster, placing him on the NLDS roster essentially positions him for bench duties. De Paula drew 11 walks in his 11 big league games and struck out only five times in 31 at-bats. “I know I’m a great hitter. I’m an amazing hitter. Nothing’s got to change, and it’s more just thinking about my success. I’m ready for the moment,” De Paula said to SportsNet LA.
Managerial Confidence in the Strike Zone
Manager Dave Roberts noted that the team ultimately decided to go with De Paula over Dalton Rushing as a left-handed bat option on the postseason roster.
“What we saw was a really good idea of a strike zone, quality of contact, good heartbeat,” Roberts told reporters. “That translates into the postseason.”
De Paula Competes for Roster Spot Before Postseason
Entering the final week of the regular season, the Dodgers have locked up the National League West and sit comfortably ahead for a first-round bye and home-field advantage for the NL Division Series. Amid roster evaluations driven by injuries and fluctuating performances, De Paula competed against bubble candidates such as Alex Call, Alex Freeland, Hyeseong Kim, and Dalton Rushing—who remained sidelined due to an elbow injury.
While how De Paula factors into late-game defense remains a question to watch, his performance has provided the club with a powerful left-handed bat option off the bench as the team pursues a third-straight World Series.
Worth a look
