The Dodgers are heading into their 2026 National League Championship Series rematch with the Brewers carrying a familiar kind of October upside: Josue De Paula is still on the roster.
Los Angeles included its top prospect on the 26-man NLCS roster, keeping the 21-year-old outfielder in the mix after he made his postseason debut in the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. De Paula appeared as a pinch hitter in two games during the Dodgers’ 3-1 series win.
His NLDS work was brief, but it wasn’t empty. De Paula popped out to third base to end Game 2 and later drew a walk in Game 4.
That ability to work counts and reach base is part of what put him in this spot in the first place. In his first 11 games with the Dodgers, he walked 11 times.
That profile could matter again in a tight NLCS. De Paula spent most of his major league time as a designated hitter, but Shohei Ohtani owns that spot in the lineup.
Ohtani, a four-time MVP, has gone 2-for-13 with no extra-base hits in the postseason so far, all in the NLDS. He also dealt with multiple injuries during the regular season, which opened the door for De Paula’s first call to the big leagues.
If Ohtani misses time in the postseason, De Paula would be a natural option to start at designated hitter.
Even if he stays in a pinch-hitting role, the Dodgers could still lean on him in the right moment. Milwaukee’s bullpen includes hard right-handers like Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill, a setup that could give the left-handed De Paula a chance to come up big off the bench.
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