MIAMI –– Josue De Paula found himself in need of some clarity.
Wednesday night, after another stellar game with double-A Tulsa, the 21-year-old Dodgers prospect was informed by his affiliate manager, Eric Wedge, that he was getting called up.
His initial question? “To triple-A or the majors?”
“Honestly, I was like, ‘What? Going up where?’” De Paula recalled with a chuckle. “He said, ‘You’re going with the big dogs.’”
So, straight from double-A to the major leagues.
“No way,” was what sprang to his mind.
A couple of days later, De Paula was still processing the news as he geared up for his MLB debut on Friday. He’s set to be the designated hitter for the Dodgers, filling in for the injured Shohei Ohtani, as they face the Miami Marlins in their series opener.
“I always thought it might happen this year,” De Paula shared. “But when it actually did, I didn’t really expect it, especially with only four games left in the season. I figured it was four days until the playoffs, then home.”
This surprise was a delightful twist to his plans.
“To be honest, no,” he joked when asked if he thought a direct call-up from double-A was a possibility. “It really took me off guard. But when it happened, I was ecstatic.”
As he took the field, it was clear why De Paula was there—mainly due to who wasn’t. Before the game, Ohtani was officially placed on the injured list for what the team described as right biceps inflammation. His stint on the IL had begun earlier in the week, meaning he wouldn’t be able to return until September 23.
In the meantime, De Paula is expected to get consistent playing time as the DH, starting with three straight games against the Marlins this weekend.
“I want to show them what I’m made of,” he said regarding this unexpected chance. “I don’t think I need to change much, especially in the batting department. I just want to do what I know how to do. At the end of the day, I love being out there competing.”
And starting Friday night, he’ll finally do just that at the big league level for the very first time.
