Josue De Paula will not remain on the Dodgers’ active roster through the end of the regular season.
Even so, the 21-year-old prospect appears to have a strong chance of earning a spot on Los Angeles’ postseason roster.
The Dodgers optioned De Paula to the minor leagues Wednesday to clear space for Shohei Ohtani’s return from the injured list. The move brought his electrifying 11-game MLB debut to a temporary close after he was called up directly from Double-A as the organization’s top prospect.
At first glance, the decision may seem surprising, especially after De Paula delivered an impressive performance during his first two weeks in the majors.
However, the roster move was driven by several factors. Most importantly for De Paula, being optioned now keeps him eligible to return for the playoffs.
The Dodgers faced a roster squeeze with Ohtani returning Wednesday and catcher Dalton Rushing also expected to be activated from the injured list later this week.
That meant two position players would need to come off the active roster. Alex Freeland was one logical option, but finding a second candidate was considerably more difficult.
Aside from potentially optioning outfielder Alex Call, De Paula was the Dodgers’ only realistic choice. He had been filling in as the designated hitter while Ohtani was sidelined, while Rushing is currently limited to hitting because of an elbow injury. Both players would essentially serve as left-handed pinch-hit options, leaving limited opportunities for either one during the final handful of regular-season games.
The Dodgers could have delayed Rushing’s activation after he missed most of the past two months with the elbow injury. He had briefly returned several weeks ago, only to suffer another setback while attempting to advance through an ill-fated throwing program.
Still, Rushing could become valuable at some point in October.
For that reason, the Dodgers determined that giving him a chance to collect a few at-bats off the bench before the playoffs was worthwhile.
Optioning De Paula Wednesday also ensures that he will be eligible for the start of the National League Division Series in 11 days on Oct. 3. Players optioned to the minors generally must wait at least 10 days before returning to an MLB roster, unless an injury exception applies. In the meantime, De Paula could join Triple-A Oklahoma City for at-bats during its Pacific Coast League championship series.
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Because De Paula was not on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster as of Sept. 1, the club would need to petition MLB to make him eligible for the postseason. However, because he was already part of the organization before that date, the request is considered little more than a formality.
The bigger question is whether De Paula or Rushing will claim the Dodgers’ bench role as a left-handed bat when the playoff roster is finalized.
Rushing has the advantage in MLB experience and was enjoying a productive season before his injury, batting .249 with 12 home runs, 36 RBIs and a .798 OPS.
But De Paula has made an emphatic case of his own. Through his first 11 games, he went 10-for-31 with five extra-base hits, one home run, seven RBIs and 11 walks against just five strikeouts. Those numbers gave him an on-base percentage of exactly .500 in 42 plate appearances.
“It’s going to be a good debate,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Hitting off the bench is very difficult, and so you’re just trying to figure out who gives us the best chance.”
That uncertainty is one reason the Dodgers made the roster adjustments now. The club will have an opportunity to evaluate Rushing in game action before making its final postseason decision.
At this stage, even Roberts suggested that De Paula may hold the advantage.
“To be quite frank, it’s going to be tougher for Dalton given the time that he’s missed,” Roberts said.
“And also, you’re talking about the consistency of at-bats recently from Josue,” he later added, somewhat tellingly.
“So, yeah,” Roberts continued, “we have to have those conversations and make a decision.”
For now, that meant optioning De Paula.
It’d be a surprise, however, if he isn’t back for the playoffs.
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