The Dodgers didn’t need Josue De Paula to do much in Game 1 of the NLCS. One plate appearance was enough to get people talking.
With Los Angeles trailing 2-1 in the top of the ninth and two outs on the board, the 21-year-old rookie came off the bench to pinch-hit for Kiké Hernández. Facing Brewers closer Trevor Megill with a runner on first, De Paula worked a five-pitch walk. He never even offered at a pitch, but the at-bat was enough to catch the eye of Joey Votto.
The former Reds star and current NBC analyst didn’t hold back on X during the game. “De Paula about to be in that upper tier quick, quick.,” Votto wrote. In the comments, he expanded on the thought, pointing to De Paula’s beautiful swing and elite swing-decisions.
That kind of praise is no small thing, especially for a prospect whose loudest comparison has already been Yordan Alvarez. De Paula didn’t put a ball in play Sunday, but the sense around him is that the foundation is there for something bigger.
The walk also fit into a postseason pattern that has already made him hard to ignore. De Paula now has two walks in three playoff plate appearances. The other came in the seventh inning of Game 4 of the NLDS, and that one helped set up the go-ahead and game-winning runs that sent the Dodgers on to the NLCS.
For manager Dave Roberts, De Paula adds another layer to an offense that has not been sharp enough in October. The Dodgers are hitting .207/.282/.360/.642 in the postseason, and a patient bat like De Paula’s can matter even in small doses.
He’s also the kind of player who can force uncomfortable choices. Roberts could turn to De Paula instead of Hernández, Tommy Edman, or Miguel Rojas, depending on the situation. And while a single walk won’t define a career, it already has Dodgers fans thinking ahead - even wondering about Teoscar Hernandez’s future this offseason.
If De Paula eventually wants a clearer path into the lineup, he may need to learn a new position quickly, much like Mookie Betts did. Otherwise, he looks blocked by Hernandez, Andy Pages, and Kyle Tucker in 2027.
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