Updated

Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Sep 10

Dodgers Promote 21-Year-Old Josue De Paula From Double-A as Ohtani Faces Possible 15-Day IL Stint

Updated

Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Sep 10

Dodgers Promote 21-Year-Old Josue De Paula From Double-A as Ohtani Faces Possible 15-Day IL Stint

Q: Who will the Dodgers sacrifice from their roster to unleash their secret, heavy-hitting postseason weapon?

The clearest immediate sacrifice is Shohei Ohtani’s active-roster spot, with Ohtani headed to the 15-day injured list and Josue De Paula expected to absorb most of the designated hitter at-bats. That solves the 26-man roster side, but not the 40-man roster issue. De Paula is not on the 40-man, so the Dodgers still must remove someone there before the promotion is official. As of now, no specific player has been identified publicly. The most likely mechanism is a designation for assignment rather than a major subtraction from the core roster. Multiple reports note Los Angeles does not have an obvious 60-day injured-list candidate unless Dalton Rushing is shut down for the season, so a DFA of a fringe player remains the leading expectation. In other words, the “secret postseason weapon” is being unleashed because Ohtani’s injury created the opening, but the actual player the Dodgers will sacrifice from the 40-man roster is still unknown. The move is expected to be finalized Friday in Miami, when that corresponding transaction should become clear. What is clear already is why the Dodgers are doing it. De Paula, 21, has forced the issue with a .302/.400/.539 line at Double-A, plus 26 homers and 31 steals, and the club believes his bat is advanced enough to skip Triple-A. If he produces immediately, he could push his way into the postseason picture.

3 articles · Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Sep 10

Josue De Paula is set to join Los Angeles for Friday’s opener in Miami, giving the Dodgers a look at one of baseball’s top prospects after he spent all season at Double-A.
Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani could need a 15-day injured-list stint after missing most of the past week with left knee discomfort and right arm soreness; Freddie Freeman’s knee issue is not expected to require an IL move.
De Paula, 21, forced the promotion by hitting .302/.400/.539 with 26 homers, 36 doubles and 31 steals in 583 plate appearances, and the Dodgers are skipping him over Triple-A.
The jump is unusually aggressive for Los Angeles: it would be the club’s first direct Double-A-to-MLB promotion for a position player in Andrew Friedman’s 12 years running baseball operations.
The Dodgers still need a 40-man roster move Friday, but De Paula was due to be protected from the Rule 5 draft this offseason anyway and could even emerge as a postseason left-handed bat.