Shohei Ohtani is officially back on the field, activated from the injured list this Wednesday. But the real story that dropped alongside his return? The Dodgers demoted Josue De Paula, their top prospect who’s been absolutely lighting it up and stepped up huge while Ohtani was out. Seriously, this kid was more capable than anyone imagined, and now he’s off to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Talk about a curveball!
De Paula’s Blazing Path to Oklahoma City
Can you believe this kid? De Paula, who got called up to fill Ohtani’s spot on the roster, absolutely went off. In the 11 games Ohtani missed, get this: no player on the Dodgers reached base more than De Paula did. That’s not just good, that’s insane for a rookie. The Dodgers weren’t just treading water either, they went 11-3 in that stretch, locked up a playoff spot, clinched the NL West, and put themselves in prime position for a wild-card bye. And now he’s making his Triple-A debut as a starter for the Oklahoma City Comets in Game 2 of the PCL championship series. It’s wild to think about, considering he already scooped up Texas League MVP honors in Double-A at just 21 years old. His MLB cameo was unreal, reaching base in half of his first 42 plate appearances. That’s just not normal.
Postseason Puzzle: Where Does This Kid Fit?
The big question now, and it’s a good one for the Dodgers, is how this all plays out for the postseason roster. Sure, Ohtani is back, hitting second against the Padres left-hander Robbie Ray in his first game not batting leadoff since way back on June 16, 2024, with Mookie Betts taking the leadoff spot. But De Paula’s performance has everyone asking if he deserves a spot. The good news for De Paula is that being optioned now makes him eligible to be recalled by October 3, which is when the NLDS kicks off. He technically wasn’t on the 40-man roster on September 1, making him ineligible for the playoffs, but a quick petition to the commissioner’s office to replace an injured player could fix that. The issue is a logjam: Ohtani has DH locked down, and corner outfielders Teoscar Hernandez and Kyle Tucker have both seriously turned their seasons around. No natural spot for a starter right now. De Paula is competing with Dalton Rushing for a premium left-handed bench bat role. Rushing has been battling a partially torn UCL since August and won’t catch again this year, but he can still hit. He’s expected to be activated soon, also trying to earn October at-bats, but De Paula has set an unbelievably high bar to clear.
This is the kind of problem every team wants: figuring out where to put a white-hot rising star because your superstar is finally healthy again. The Dodgers are on track to face either the Atlanta Braves or the Padres in the NLDS. It’s going to be a fun October with these guys, and seeing how they sort out their bench battle is going to be something to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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