Shohei Ohtani is officially back with the Dodgers, activated off the injured list on Wednesday after his minimum 15 days sidelined with right biceps inflammation. But to make room, they shipped their top prospect, Josue De Paula, who was tearing it up, down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Talk about a gut punch, even if it means the superstar is back for the final five regular season games. The plan is for Ohtani to serve as designated hitter, aiming to get him locked in at the plate before the big postseason push.
The Big Man Is Back, But What Form Is He In?
Ohtani’s season has been a rollercoaster. This four-time MVP was having a productive year, but injuries have eaten away at him. First, left knee inflammation sidelined him from pitching after July 3, and then this right biceps issue started showing up at the plate too. He wasn’t the same. Back on August 18, he was mashing, hitting .294/.390/.558 with a 153 wRC+, leading the National League in slugging and OPS. He even smashed three homers in two days at Coors Field around that time. But then, the slump hit hard. In the 13 games right before he went on the IL, Ohtani managed just six hits in 49 at-bats. That’s a brutal .122/.295/.184 line with 21 strikeouts and 10 walks. The Dodgers tried to avoid the IL, giving him a few days off, but a swing on September 7 aggravated that right biceps injury, and that was it. Manager Dave Roberts has been trying to hype him up, saying Ohtani is now in “the best physical place he’s been in quite some time” and that if he was “a five, he’s probably an eight or nine right now.” They need him firing on all cylinders.
De Paula’s Blistering Debut Ends, For Now
While Ohtani was healing, Josue De Paula got his shot, called up directly from Double-A, and he seized it. The Dodgers were apparently hesitant to put him in the corner outfield, what with Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker absolutely thriving in September. But the DH spot was open, and De Paula just went off. In his 11 games, he reached base in half of his 42 plate appearances. That’s a .323/.500/.581 line with three doubles, a triple, a homer, 11 walks, and only five strikeouts. That’s impressive production for a call-up. Roberts even praised him, saying, “I think Josue has done a fantastic job.” Now, being sent down means he won’t play in the final five regular season games, but here’s the kicker: it doesn’t stop him from making the postseason roster. He just needs 10 days on optional assignment, which means his first day back could be Saturday, October 3. That day is Game 1 of the National League Division Series. He’s battling Dalton Rushing for that left-handed bat off the bench, and after that showing, he earned a shot.
So, Ohtani’s got five games to prove he’s an “eight or nine” and ready to crush it for October. Every swing is going to be under the microscope. And De Paula, even after getting sent down, could still make a massive impact in the NLDS. It’s crunch time, and these next few games will tell us everything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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