Ohtani's Body Fails, Dodgers Find New Depth
Facing criticism for the late IL placement of Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers are defending their move as a necessary step to ensure his health for the postseason while calling up top prospect Josue De Paula. De Paula is skipping Triple-A to join the roster in Miami, where he will primarily serve as a designated hitter while the team looks to maintain its division lead.
Yahoo Sports reports that Josue De Paula is bypassing Triple-A entirely to take over the DH role, with manager Dave Roberts citing the prospect’s comfort with high-velocity pitching as the key reason for the jump. The 22-year-old, who is ranked as MLB’s sixth-best prospect, is arriving in Miami to face the Marlins after posting a .302 average and 26 home runs in the minors.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that social media backlash has intensified over the timing of the move, with fans criticizing the club for what they view as a delayed decision. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the team 'kicked the can down the road' but insists the rest is crucial for Ohtani to be at his peak in October.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that Manager Dave Roberts expects Ohtani to return by Sept. 23, noting he would likely be in the lineup if the playoffs started immediately. The outlet adds that the team is currently holding Ohtani back from throwing to protect his bat, with the earliest possible return date aligning just before the Wild Card round begins on Sept. 29.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports confirms that 21-year-old Josue De Paula will debut as the designated hitter, having posted a .303 average with 27 home runs in Double-A. The report also notes that Los Angeles must execute a roster maneuver to add him to the 40-man list before his first at-bat on Friday.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that manager Dave Roberts has confirmed the 15-day IL stint is backdated to Monday, meaning Shohei Ohtani remains unavailable until September 23. The club is calling up No. 6 prospect Josue De Paula, who is expected to make his major league debut in Friday's game against the Marlins.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that Freddie Freeman is also sitting out with a knee issue, though Manager Dave Roberts insists an injured list stint is "absolutely not" a possibility. The team plans to rest Freeman before assessing his status for Friday's game in Miami, noting his recent swing-and-miss struggles are linked to the discomfort.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports details the timeline, noting that Ohtani's last appearance was September 7, which allows the Dodgers to backdate his 15-day absence to September 8 and set his earliest return for September 23. The report also highlights that the team is set to call up top prospect Josue De Paula to fill the resulting roster vacancy.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that manager Dave Roberts admitted the club likely waited too long to rest Shohei Ohtani, noting the two-way status forces a 15-day minimum absence that pushes his earliest return to September 23. Roberts confirmed the decision was made in consultation with medical staff to protect Ohtani’s health ahead of the postseason, despite the star having played through significant pain in recent days.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that the Dodgers secured a 14-1 victory over the Reds, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto striking out ten batters over seven innings while the lineup erupted for four home runs. This dominant performance highlights the team's ability to generate offense without Ohtani, though manager Dave Roberts emphasized that the injury decision was made to ensure Ohtani is fully healthy for the postseason.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports confirms the Dodgers are promoting 21-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula directly from Double-A Tulsa, marking the first such promotion under President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman. The report highlights De Paula's recent .303 average with 27 home runs and notes that the team has paired him with special advisor Jason Heyward to refine his defensive skills.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that the Dodgers have officially placed Ohtani on the 15-day injured list, a decision Manager Dave Roberts says is necessary to ensure he is ready for the postseason. This move allows 21-year-old prospect Josue De Paula to skip Triple-A entirely and join the major league roster immediately.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that the Dodgers are calling up top prospect Josue De Paula to provide immediate offensive depth, a move widely seen as a stopgap for Shohei Ohtani who has missed six of the last seven games due to knee issues. Because the two-way star is on a 15-day injury list protocol, the team is hesitant to formally place him on the IL, making the young hitter's arrival a key immediate solution.
Source: Yahoo SportsYahoo Sports reports that Ohtani is officially shifting his focus exclusively to hitting for the remainder of the season, confirming that his pitching career is paused as the Dodgers pivot their strategy toward a three-peat.
Source: Yahoo SportsThe glove rests on the dirt, a silent testament to the physical toll of two-way dominance. Shohei Ohtani's season on the mound is over, but the question remains: can his bat still carry the weight?
Source: GN sports/baseball (en-US)
