The Dodgers have reinstated designated hitter Shohei Ohtani from the injured list and optioned outfielder Josue De Paula to Triple-A as the corresponding move, per Katie Woo of The Athletic. Woo notes that De Paula is still a candidate for a postseason roster spot, despite this move.
The status of Ohtani is a major storyline for the coming weeks. Normally a two-way player, he has been reduced to hitting only. Left knee and right biceps issue have hampered him this season and he hasn’t pitched since early July. His production at the plate also fell off, as he hit .122/.295/.184 from August 19 to September 7, striking out at a 34.4% clip in that time.
The Dodgers finally decided that an IL stint was needed. Since Ohtani is designated as a two-way player, he had to go on the 15-day IL for pitchers, rather than the 10-day IL for position players. He will now have a few games to take some at-bats and try to get back on track, though another gap is likely coming up. The Dodgers are five games up on Atlanta for a first-round bye with five games left to play. Atlanta has the tiebreaker, so it’s not officially sewn up yet, but the Dodgers will almost certainly be sitting out the Wild Card round.
While Ohtani has been out, De Paula has been getting some big league exposure. The Dodgers promoted him straight from Double-A, skipping him over Triple-A, and have been using him as the designated hitter. He has done very well in his first 42 plate appearances, with one home run, a massive 26.2% walk rate, excellent 11.9% strikeout rate, .323/.500/.581 line and 198 wRC+. It’s a tiny sample but obviously very encouraging.
As noted by Woo, De Paula could still secure a spot on the postseason roster. But for now, he doesn’t have a path to much playing time. He’s not considered an especially strong defender in the outfield corners, so the Dodgers will be opting for more experienced players like Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker out there. The DH spot is obviously now spoken for, assuming Ohtani stays healthy the rest of the way. For now, he’ll be playing in the Triple-A playoffs, per Oklahoma City Comets broadcaster Alex Freedman.
Now that he has been optioned, De Paula can’t be recalled for a minimum of ten days, unless someone else needs to go on the IL. But that ten-day window is enough time for him to potentially come back for the NLDS, which starts October 3. Per Woo, De Paula is in the mix for a bench spot, though it will be down to him and Dalton Rushing for that spot.
Rushing has a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. He can’t throw right now and is currently on the IL but he could be reinstated this week and would still be able to hit. He has a strong .249/.332/.466 line as a hitter this year. That’s not as impressive as De Paula’s slash but Rushing put up his numbers in a larger sample of 250 plate appearances. Though Rushing could be reinstated before the season is done, it will be hard for him to get at-bats with Ohtani needing to get reps in the DH spot.
“To be quite frank, it’s going to be tougher for Dalton, given the time that he’s missed, and to kind of think that you have three games to get back in playoff form,” manager Dave Roberts said, per Woo. “It’s not a knock on him. He’s been great for us. But it’s still tough, given that also you’re talking about the consistency of at-bats recently from Josue.”
Both Rushing and De Paula are effectively considered hitters only, Rushing due to his arm and De Paula due to his lack of trust as a defender. With Ohtani in the DH spot, Woo relays that the Dodgers would like to carry one as a bench bat but can’t really afford to have both.
Photo courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images
One of the worst options I’ve ever seen
AAA team is still playing, he can go get ABs there and then come back up after that season ends if they need him
Makes perfect sense per the writeup.
As much as we’ll miss watching De Paula’s ridiculously professional ABs for the next few days, it does make good baseball sense. The fairly obvious next move will be to leave Rushing off the NLDS roster and include De Paula as a bench bat.
Hopefully, that is the plan. Roberts said, “Rushing has been great for us.” Rather large bit of hyperbole there. He has done a decent job but not great. Carrying Rushing rather than DiPaula makes no sense because Rushing can only pinch hit. Sounds like Roberts was sending a message on this one.
What?!? Why would they option him? Makes no sense.
Where do you suggest he plays?
He wants to sit Ohtani and play him instead.
The only option would be bench bat/pinch hitter.
It makes total sense. What they’re likely to do is drop Call for the Postseason and have DePaula in the PH role. They have both Kiké and Edman to back up the OF of Pages, Tucker and Teoscar. Edman will play 2B against RHP, Rojas against LHP.
They have two LH bench bat options: Rushing and De Paula. Which one does it make the most sense to carry on the roster in the postseason? I have my own ideas about that, but note that choosing one or the other has no impact on Call, who at the very least makes a good defensive replacement for Teo Hernandez.
I am a big supporter of the Dodgers keeping both Smith and Rushing at catcher for 2027. I see zero argument for Rushing to be on the postseason roster. That would be below even Hyeseong Kim for pinch running and defense. I could see Freeland and Call both making the roster. Most likely Josue will be on the roster.
Assume 13 pitchers.
Sho
Freddie
Mookie
Pages
Smith
Miggy
Muncy
Edman
Teo
Tucker
Kiké
That leaves 2 spots. You need a LH bench guy and you need speed. Kiké can play all positions but P and C. Edman has good range in the OF, but a bad arm and really should only be at 2B in the IF. Miggy plays 3-6, but is best at 4 and 6.
You either go with Call, who is limited to the OF but can play decent defense at all 3 positions, but is a RHB who is useless against RHP except maybe to take a walk. Or you go with DePaula who is mostly just a PH, but WAY better than Call as a PH, and has similar speed to either PR or just run after getting on.
Part of the issue is the guys they need to run for arent in the OF – Teo, Pages and Tucker can all run. You mostly run for Freeman, Smith or Rojas.
I think you value IF defense and versatility at the plate and either keep Freeland or Kim and drop Call for DePaula. This is where having Kiké really is such a win.
Rushing shouldn’t be in the conversation with an inability to play defense.
I agree Rushing has to be out for the playoff roster, but my point is Call doesn’t have to be dropped for De Paula to be on it. Just Rushing. I very much doubt Kim makes it, as the Dodgers haven’t brought him back up in months. Freeland is probably the infield depth they will choose for the postseason, since it’s the way they’ve gone for most of the regular season. Overall I don’t see much need to make position player changes. The harder choices will come in the bullpen.
They only have 2 spots for the 13 offensive/two way spots left after you select the assumed regulars.
That means you can only take 2 of JdP,Call,Freeland or Kim (assume Rush is gone).
And you can’t assume 13 pitchers. They carried 12 pitchers last playoffs and included Dean, a defensive replacement. If course last year they didn’t have 9 relievers who could get people out anyway, and this year Ohtani is not availaible, so 13 is more likely. But all the off days in DS, CS, and WS mean there’s lots of buit in rest.
Blue skies
Let’s assume that Rushing and Kim are out.
I thought maybe only two out of Josie, Call, Freeland and Rortvedt. Doubt they will run a third catcher with Smith and Hunter healthy.
Am I mistaken? Is there room for Call, Freeland and Josue? Or just two of the three?
Maybe I am miscounting or misunderstanding, but I am not seeing why they could not carry the current regular season roster into the playoffs, with the one change of De Paula for Rushing. Kim isn’t on the active roster now. With only four starters required, I don’t know why they’d need to carry an extra pitcher and bump a position player. What am I missing?
The current roster is the expanded 28 man September roster. The playoffs are limited to the standard 26. If they carry 13 pitchers, they are limited to 13 position/2 way.
Third C would be limited to Alfonzo, who is on 40 man, but they won’t carry a third C
Oops, Alfonzo not Rortvedt then.
I am still not certain one way or the other. Is there room for Call, Freeland and Josue? Or just two of the three? I do assume 13 pitchers.
With 13 pitchers, only 2 spots left from the presumed established players.
Ah, good point. That’s what I was missing. They also get a taxi squad, but the rules for those are a bit murky.
Thanks
Taxi squad is for true injuries, not the kind of IL shuffling that can happen in the regular year.
Agree!
I know what the taxi squad is about. The murky part is who is eligible to be carried on it.
Me thinks Josue caught Tucker’s attention.
Me thinks no one in their right mind would have this kid play right field at the big league level.
I stand by my comment, but I also agree that Josue’s defense is a work in progress. Josue was never going to replace a healthy Tucker in the postseason lineup, but it can still get his attention and get in his head. Which might be needed.
DePaula is no threat to Tucker with his current level of defense. Even the road good, home bad version of Tucker we saw for 75% of the season. If DePaula can play averagish defense, the one getting traded next year is Teoscar.
Personally I’d rather see Teo move back to RF and JDP play LF (assuming his defense can be at least average). However I know that’s unlikely since there is basically no way to get rid of a .220 hitter making damn near Shohei money
1) JdP can’t even play average defense. That is part of the point.
2) Teo is way better in LF than RF and Tucker is a better defender than either one.
3) Tucker has a 1.023 OPS in September and actually has a reverse platoon split.
I hear you man, I’m just saying in a perfect world (or whatever) that’s what I would like. Teo’s RF was garbage though, and JDP can’t seem to field anywhere lol
I think I’m just unfairly annoyed with Tucker because of the money he makes, not that it’s HIS fault. But when someone is making $60mil a year I expect more than good defense and a September full of bloops that manage to drop.
Clearly we wouldn’t sit Shohei for a 21yo, I just wish there was some way we could get his bat consistently in the lineup
His OPS in September is over 1.000. That isnt one “full of bloops”
Ok you’re right, he’s a huge bat and will carry us through the postseason I guess
The Art Tatum of baseball. God is in the room.
Although nowhere close, and I don’t agree, Astros fans say this is an A-Limber Santa move.
Removing Santa is terrible, this worse!
RIP Don Cooper
Alex Call is off when they bring back DePaul!
Hard to imagine they don’t keep Call for the late innings defensive switch.
The only guy they’re gonna defensive switch for is Teo, who has played better this year in LF, and they can use Kiké for that. Call is redundant.
Upvote for rhyming.
It’s a small sample size, but that’s a really hot bat to be optioning.
He’s getting thrown directly into the AAA playoffs, where he can help them win while playing high intensity games, which I’m certain they’d like to see.
It’s a good move. They need obtain to get the reps in before the playoffs. And they need to see if Rushing can produce in the few at bats he’ll get as a pinch hitter.
They already know what DePaula can do in regular season games.
Exactly. Same with sending Sheehan to pitch that game.
Johnny stop with your hatred for Kyle Tucker already
Johnny
Don’t be a frosted flake. Or a cereal troll.
I think Josue’s call up was a needed wake up call for Kyle. You hate to call up a guy to soon, but with a three-peat on the line, there’s no holding back. You never know which guy might be the lucky charm.
Can they bring back de Paula for the postseason if he’s an injury replacement for Rushing?
seems like it
Probably not for Rushing, but in general yes.
And all pun intended, let’s not rush DePaula to the bigs
He is eligible on 10/3, the first day of the division series with the Dodgers successfully petition the League to be included. The crappy LA Times indicated that the team will give the other
lefty bench option, Rushing a looksee before determining who makes the roster.
It makes perfect sense to option him. He can’t DH. They activated Ohtani.
They activated Pages. So they have 3 set outfielders getting their game together for the last 6 games in the regular season.
No reason for him to sit on the bench.
If they need him for the post season they’ll bring him back.
Right now they don’t need him at all.
Sorry but if you ONLY hit (DH) and don’t play defense, that is NOT part of a two-way player. Pitching is one part, hitting in half of it and defense is the other half.
Ohtani is a 1.5 player, NOT a 2-way player.
He does what he does extremely well no doubt, but let’s get it right please!
Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Schwarber are each only half a player? But a closer who never pitches more than an inning and never hits at all counts as a whole player. LOL.
Mason Miller is a 0.11111 player obviously.
Your math is impeccable.
The Dodgers can play him at 1B and he’d oblige to it. The Dodgers have not done that yet, so he still counts as a optional first baseman.
Why would Mason number play 1B for the Dodgers?
You need help counting to two? Shohei pitches (one) and hits (two). If I ever leave to see some sicko who hits, pitches, and plays in the field, I’m fine calling them a three way player.
Also who’s gonna tell this guy that pitchers play defense?
So many three way player jokes to choose from…
Actually no, I won’t stoop to your level. There are two types of players per MLB rules. Pitchers, and hitters. Most hitters play defense, some just hit. So not fielding doesn’t make you not a hitter, he is both types of player, hence two way.
Offense and defense
Run scoring and run prevention.
Ohtani obviously does both
Cooking and line dancin.
Ohtani obviously does both.
Ohtani sometimes does both not normally. He only has about 132 innings in the last 3 years
Due to injury. He normally does both full time.
More innings than you or Vida Blue.
ohtani looks awful and dave didn’t even get dalton an ab tonight.
Oh no. Does that mean he gets to play world series? Thats kinda tilting the scales somewhat in LAs favor.