Josue De Paula’s brief run with the Dodgers has already turned into one of those small sample stretches that gets people talking. His monster home run against the Miami Marlins on Sunday didn’t just stand out on the scoreboard - it gave a glimpse of why Los Angeles views him as its No. 1 prospect.
The Dodgers may have spoiled what looked like a breakout game, but the bigger picture is hard to miss. There’s still the practical issue of where De Paula fits once Shohei Ohtani comes off the IL, and if his late-season audition keeps going well, that question should be a major offseason priority.
It may be early to talk about 2027, but that’s where the conversation gets interesting. If the Dodgers can find a way to get De Paula regular at-bats by then, he’d have a chance to join a franchise list that already sits at the top of the league.
Los Angeles has produced an MLB-leading 18 Rookie of the Year winners, starting with Jackie Robinson in 1947, the player the award is named after. The most recent was Cody Bellinger in 2017.
That list is loaded. Jim Gilliam, Fernando Valenzuela, Eric Karros, and Hideo Nomo are all in the mix, and De Paula could eventually put his name alongside that kind of company if everything breaks right.
The comparisons around De Paula have already started, and Yordan Alvarez is the one that keeps coming up. That makes sense, especially since Alvarez is probably Andrew Friedman’s greatest trade regret as the Dodgers’ chief executive. Among the 12 position player Rookie of the Year winners the Dodgers have had, none really fit the Alvarez mold - the kind of hitter in the David Ortiz, Kyle Schwarber lane who can simply rake.
Mike Piazza, though, may be the cleaner comp. Piazza won the award for Los Angeles in 1993 and arrived with far less hype than De Paula, but the overlap is obvious: both are position players with defensive questions, huge power, and a polished feel for the strike zone. De Paula still hasn’t struck out in the four games he’s played.
Nobody should expect Piazza’s rookie numbers from De Paula. Piazza hit .318 with a .932 OPS, 35 homers, and 112 RBI in his first season, a launchpad for a Hall of Fame career.
Still, the fact that the Dodgers were practically eager to carve out a spot for De Paula this season says plenty about how high they’re aiming.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Made A Bullpen Move That Could Sting Fans Too
The Dodgers got another piece back in the bullpen mix by activating left-hander Kris Bubic off the 60-day injured list and adding him to both the 28- and 40-man rosters. Bubic, who came over from the Royals at the trade deadline, is expected to give Los Angeles a left-handed relief option as it continues sorting through the back end of its staff.
To clear space, right-hander Paul Gervase was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City and outfielder Ryan Ward was designated for assignment. The roster shuffle fits the kind of August management the Dodgers have leaned on all year, but the move also comes with the usual cost of squeezing out a depth piece to make room for a pitcher the club clearly wants available now. [Read more 🡒]
Shohei Ohtani Return Buzz Just Got Very Real For Dodgers Fans
The Dodgers kept rolling against the Reds by winning the first two games of the four-game set, and they did it with the kind of balance that can travel deep into October. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal each turned in strong pitching performances, while Teoscar Hernndez supplied the thunder with a pair of two-run homers that helped keep Los Angeles in control.
Amid the current momentum, the bigger buzz for Dodgers fans is Shohei Ohtani, who is still working back from injuries but has recently taken batting practice. The team remains optimistic he could return before the end of the regular season, which would add another layer to a lineup already getting key production at the right time, even as everyone waits to see just how soon that final piece can fall into place. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Got An Opening They Desperately Needed In The NL Race
The Dodgers have spent much of the late-season stretch juggling injuries to Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman while trying to kick-start an offense that has gone quiet since Aug. 1. Even with those issues lingering, there is still meaningful ground left to cover in the NL race, and with 11 games to go, Los Angeles remains in position to chase home-field advantage if it can stack enough wins down the stretch.
The latest break in that pursuit comes from San Francisco, where the Giants just lost Rafael Devers for the season. Devers had given them a needed lift after the All-Star break, so his absence changes the look of a division schedule that still includes multiple meetings between the Dodgers and Giants. For a Los Angeles club trying to survive its own health concerns and tighten up its postseason positioning, the timing could hardly be better. [Read more 🡒]