Josue De Paula, just 21 years, 110 days old, officially made his major league debut Friday night for the Dodgers against the Marlins in Miami, hitting seventh as the designated hitter. This isn’t just any debut, folks. This kid is the youngest Dodger to hit in that spot since Adrian Beltré pulled it off back on July 13, 2000. Talk about stepping into some serious shoes on day one. Right-hander Ryan Gusto was on the mound for the Marlins, setting the stage for De Paula to show what he’s got.
This Kid’s Got Game, and History on His Side
De Paula’s journey to the bigs has been impressive, especially when facing right-handed pitching. This season in Double-A Tulsa, the lefty-hitting De Paula crushed righties with a .314/.416/.600 slash line. Against southpaws, it was a solid .267/.351/.371, but that performance versus right-handers? That’s what gets you called up to the show at such a young age. He is the youngest Dodgers player to debut since Alex Verdugo did it on September 2, 2017. Verdugo was playing center field in both games of a doubleheader at Petco Park in San Diego, just on his second day in the majors. When you look at the 2000s, De Paula is just the eighth Dodgers player to be 21 years, 110 days old or younger when debuting. That’s an exclusive club that includes legends like Adrian Beltré from 2000, Edwin Jackson (2003-04), Jonathan Broxton (2005), Clayton Kershaw (2008-09), José Peraza (2015), Julio Urías (2016-17), and Verdugo (2017). This kid is in rare company, and that says everything you need to know about the potential here.
Echoes of History in Miami
Making your debut in Miami seems to be a thing for the Dodgers. De Paula is the fifth different Dodgers player to make his major league debut there, and some of those have been absolutely legendary. Remember Eric Gagné? His debut on September 7, 1999, was unforgettable. He pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, joining the majors directly from Double-A, just like De Paula. Gagné was the top Dodgers prospect at the time of his call-up, and Dodgers manager Davey Johnson was raving about him even then. “I’ve seen a lot of good pitchers break into the big leagues, and this performance was right up there at the top,” Johnson told Jason Reid of the Los Angeles Times. “He showed three quality pitches and he really had no problems. Just a real impressive performance. Real impressive.” Gagné started for two more seasons before becoming a Cy Young contender. Not every Miami debut was a fairytale, though. Back on April 25, 1995, when the stadium was called Joe Robbie Stadium, Todd Hollandsworth grounded out in the sixth, and Antonio Osuna had a rough final frame, allowing four runs after giving up a solo homer, coming one out shy of a three-inning save in his debut. The stage is set for De Paula to write his own story, hopefully more Gagné than Osuna.
What’s next for De Paula? The stage is set. This isn’t just another call-up; it’s a statement. Keep an eye on this kid, because if history tells us anything, a major league debut in Miami for the Dodgers can either be legendary or a rough ride. De Paula just started his story, and we’re all here for it.
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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