The Dodgers just wrapped a 4-2 week, pulling it off amidst a wild ride of injuries and a stunning major league debut, which has them on the verge of clinching a postseason berth as early as Monday. They even stacked up an incredible eight-game win streak before hitting a snag in Miami, dropping two crucial games, including a brutal Sunday loss. Man, talk about a rollercoaster of emotions for that squad!
Ohtani Out, Freeman Struggling: The Injury Woes Hit Hard
Dude, the biggest gut punch this week has got to be Shohei Ohtani officially landing on the injured list. They finally pulled the plug on him last Friday after he aggravated his right biceps in his only game on Monday. That’s a massive blow to their lineup, no doubt about it. And it’s not just him. Freddie Freeman has been battling a right knee injury, playing designated hitter Tuesday and then completely sitting out Wednesday and Friday. His bat has gone completely cold too, going hitless in his last 16 at-bats and picking up only one hit in his last 26. He was even moving gingerly at first base on Sunday, topped off by a bad toss to covering pitcher Tanner Scott in the fateful ninth inning. You gotta wonder how long they can really play through that kind of production from one of their stars.
De Paula’s Electric Arrival and the Offense That Keeps Humming
But here’s where it gets absolutely wild! While those heavy hitters are down, a new star is totally shining. Top prospect Josue De Paula got called up directly from Double-A last Friday, and seriously, he did not just make his major league debut, he absolutely thrived in doing so! This kid started all three games in Miami, twice at designated hitter and then crushing it in left field on Sunday. He reached base six times in 11 at-bats, banging out his first big league home run and a double on Sunday. His first game out, he got on base with a walk too. Talk about making an instant impact! He’s the third Dodger to make their major league debut in 2026, and he’s already making serious noise. On top of that, Teoscar Hernández is still tearing it up in September, racking up seven hits in 16 at-bats, snagging six RBI, a home run, a triple, and even a stolen base. The offense was mostly humming all week, with De Paula, Hernández, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Will Smith, and Kyle Tucker all posting an OPS over 1.000. And check this out: Mookie Betts hit the 10,000th home run for the Dodgers since their move to Los Angeles way back in 1958 on Saturday. Max Muncy followed with a blast, and then De Paula himself slugged one on Sunday, pushing the count to an unbelievable 10,002. Insane, right?
Sheehan’s Stellar Week and What’s Next for the Berth
And on the mound? Emmet Sheehan bookended the week with some truly stellar starts. He got called back up from Triple-A and absolutely dominated the Reds on Monday, allowing only one run over 5 2/3 innings with ten strikeouts. Then on Sunday, he threw six scoreless innings! That’s the kind of clutch pitching you need this late in the season. Overall, this team scored 36 runs while allowing only 18, ending the week with a 4-2 record. They’re sitting at a 90-59 record year to date. With all this happening, both the good and the challenging, they are still set to clinch a postseason berth. This coming Monday is absolutely huge for them. Let’s see if they can lock it down and make it official!
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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