Josue De Paula didn’t need much time to realize the moment had arrived. The Dodgers’ top prospect said he was “shocked” when he learned he had made the National League Division Series roster, and the surprise hit all at once.
“I was kind of shocked. Yeah, I was shocked.
I was happy. There was a lot of emotions going on at the same time,” De Paula said.
“Yeah, a lot of thoughts going into it, like envisioning how this is going to be. I'm just going along for the ride and see how everything comes to me, so yeah.”
That first postseason appearance came in Game 2, when De Paula entered as the Dodgers’ final at-bat of the night. The left-handed hitter didn’t get the ending he wanted, popping out in a three-pitch plate appearance to finish the game while standing in as the tying run.
Even so, the alternative would have looked a whole lot different. De Paula said that before he knew he was on the roster, he figured he’d be headed home and taking some time away from the game.
“Before I knew it? Take myself home, chill for a little bit,” De Paula said of his plans before he found out he was on the roster.
“Take probably three weeks off with family and get back to training and stuff. I wasn't expecting myself to be here.”
The scene is a sharp turn from last October, when De Paula was in Miami watching the Dodgers win their second straight World Series. This year, he’s on the roster as they chase a three-peat.
De Paula already made an impression over his first 11 games in the majors, and it wasn’t just the numbers. His bat played, but so did the way he carried himself.
“I mean, it was cool. I just try to - at the end of the day this is a game, and I just try to make sure everybody's having fun while we're doing it,” he said.
“Why not kick butt and have fun at the same time, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, just try to make sure everybody is having fun and enjoy themselves.”
Through 42 plate appearances to begin his MLB career, De Paula has hit .323 with a .500 on-base percentage and a .581 slugging percentage, with seven runs scored and seven RBIs.
The Dodgers view him as an important part of what’s coming next. For now, though, he’s trying to leave his mark in his first postseason run.
In Other News...
Braves May Have Exposed A Costly Dodgers NLDS Problem
Miguel Rojas exited Game 3 of the 2026 NLDS after fouling a pitch off himself in the eighth inning and feeling low back pain, a development the Dodgers confirmed on their official social media. The stopgap infielder had already appeared to be working through something earlier in the night, with his back first bothering him after he fielded a ground ball in the fifth inning.
For a Dodgers club trying to navigate October with as little disruption as possible, the timing is the real concern. If Rojas cannot continue in the series, Los Angeles may be forced to make a postseason roster change, a move that would test the teams infield depth at a point when every available defender matters even more. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Face A Miguel Rojas Problem In The NLDS
Miguel Rojas night ended early in the Dodgers National League Division Series game against the Braves after he fouled off a pitch and started showing signs of discomfort with a low back injury. Tommy Edman came on as a pinch hitter in his place, leaving Los Angeles to sort through an immediate issue at a spot where Rojas has helped steady things throughout the postseason run.
The bigger concern now is what this means for the rest of the series, because the Dodgers do not yet know how available Rojas will be moving forward. Any lingering limitation could force roster and lineup adjustments at a critical point, and for a team trying to keep its infield options intact in October, even a short-term absence would matter. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Roberts Made One Dodgers Gamble Look Brilliant In Game 3
Dave Roberts spent Game 3 pushing the right buttons, and the Dodgers benefited from nearly every one of them. He shuffled the batting order and got Kike Hernandez into a spot where he could make an impact, then watched Hernandez deliver a key two-run homer that helped set the tone. It was the kind of lineup tweak that can look minor before first pitch and inspired once the game starts bending your way.
Roberts also managed the night with a steady hand on the mound, letting Yoshinobu Yamamoto work seven innings before turning to Tanner Scott and Edwin Diaz to close the door. The sequencing mattered as much as the names themselves, giving Los Angeles a cleaner path through the late innings and underscoring how much this team can gain when its manager is willing to be aggressive at the right moments. [Read more 🡒]