The Dodgers may have found a way to keep Josue De Paula moving forward this offseason, even if the calendar and the labor situation get in the way.
De Paula’s bat has already made noise. The 21-year-old hit .303/.401/.547 in 124 Double-A games, piling up 27 home runs and 104 RBIs.
When Los Angeles brought him up for 11 big league games, he kept producing, batting .323 with an OPS of 1.081 as a designated hitter. His first MLB hit was a three-run homer.
But the glove has been the sticking point. De Paula was used strictly at DH, even though the Dodgers could have used more outfield depth, because his minor league defense was below average. That limitation became even more of a problem in the postseason, when he couldn’t be fully deployed.
Under normal circumstances, the offseason would be the time for him to work directly with Dodgers coaches and try to sharpen that side of his game. But with a lockout looming, that path may not be available if a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t reached by Dec. 1.
According to team insider Dylan Hernandez of the California Post, De Paula is expected to turn to a pair of veterans for help instead: Alex Ochoa and Gold Glove winner Jackie Bradley Jr.
Ochoa brings eight years in MLB and six more in Japan. His final big league appearance came in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, when he replaced Hall of Famer Tim Salmon in right field in the eighth inning before the Anaheim Angels were crowned champions.
Bradley comes with a different kind of resume. The 2018 ALCS MVP with the Boston Red Sox also has an All-Star nod across his 11 MLB seasons. In his last full season in 2022, he posted an Outs Above Average mark of plus-7, which ranked in the 94th percentile among outfielders.
If De Paula can absorb what Ochoa and Bradley have to offer, it could matter a lot if the lockout blocks him from working with Dodgers staff. And if the defensive progress shows up, he may give Los Angeles another outfield option next year.
In Other News...
Dodgers Make Key Front Office Move With Rival Ties
The Dodgers are bringing in a familiar name from a division rival to help steer the business side of the organization, hiring Caroline Perry as their new chief operating officer effective Nov. 30. Perry arrives after 16 years with the Padres, where she was deeply involved in stadium negotiations and team sales, and she steps into a role that will be central as the club continues operating at the highest level on and off the field.
Perry replaces retiring COO Bob Wolfe, and her hiring adds another notable voice to a front office that has long prized stability and scale. She is also one of only three women serving as a chief operating officer in Major League Baseball, a distinction that underscores both the significance of the move and the broader visibility that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Left Field Plans With Josue De Paula Arent So Simple
Josue De Paula gave the Dodgers a promising glimpse in September, when his strong Double-A season earned him a big-league debut and he held his own at the plate in limited action. For a club that is always trying to thread the needle between present contention and future planning, that kind of arrival is worth paying attention to, especially with left field still a spot where long-term answers matter.
The complication is that De Paulas bat is only part of the equation. His defensive game, especially in the outfield, remains a work in progress, and the looming MLB lockout means the Dodgers will not be able to work with him through the offseason the way they normally would. That leaves his readiness for next season a little harder to pin down, with the organization waiting to see how much of that development can happen once baseball operations resume. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Prospect Cody Morse Keeps Giving Fans A Reason To Watch
The Glendale Desert Dogs came up short in a 1-0 Arizona Fall League loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions, but there was still plenty for Dodgers followers to track. Chase Harlan collected two hits, Charles Davalan added a single and a walk, and Dodgers prospects accounted for three of Glendales five hits in a game where offense was hard to come by on both sides.
Cody Morse was part of the reason the Dodgers contingent stayed interesting anyway, turning in another scoreless outing and keeping his AFL line spotless through nine appearances. Sam Horn did not pitch in this one, but he remains part of the mix as Glendale works through the fall schedule and the organization keeps getting a closer look at which arms are separating themselves. [Read more 🡒]