Dodgers' Josue De Paula Expected to Work With Gold Glove Outfielder This Offseason

The rookie standout may get some pivotal help in an unprecedented offseason.

Oct 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Josue De Paula (95) warms up prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Dodgers did not have the best offensive showing this past postseason.

In fact, the batting appeared to be suspect throughout much of the second half of the season. LA was hitting .262 before the All-Star break — the second-best mark in baseball — and dropped to .249 (10th in baseball) in the second half.

In order to partially address this issue, especially when four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani was placed on the injured list towards the end of the year, Double-A standout Josue De Paula was called up.

The 21-year-old slashed .303/.401/.547 in 124 Double-A games, adding 27 home runs and 104 RBIs in the process. During his 11 games at the MLB level, he hit .323 with an OPS of 1.081 as a designated hitter. His first career hit in MLB was a three-run home run.

Part of why he was only used as a DH and not in the outfield despite it being an area the Dodgers had less depth in last season was he was a below-average defender during his time in the minor leagues.

Come postseason, the problem only intensifed as De Paula could not be properly utilized given his limiting reality.

As the offseason began, the logical option for De Paula would be to grind it out with Dodgers coaches in order to unlock his defensive potential, but due to the impending lockout, players will not be allowed to have contact with any areas of the organization if a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached by Dec. 1.

Luckily for fans, team insider Dylan Hernandez of the California Post reported that De Paula will seek out a pair of MLB veterans to help him out in Alex Ochoa and Gold Glove award winner Jackie Bradley Jr.

Ochoa has eight years of experience in MLB and another six in Japan. Ochoa's final game in the big leagues was Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, subbing in for Hall of Famer Tim Salmon in right field in the eigth inning before he and the Anaheim Angels were crowned champions.

Bradley, the 2018 ALCS MVP with the Boston Red Sox, also has an All-Star appearance to his name in 11 MLB seasons. During his last full season in 2022, he achieved an Outs Above Average ranking of plus-7, placing him in the 94th percentile among outfielders.

The experience that De Paula gains from Ochoa and Bradley will potentially prove invaluable assuming a lockout occurs and he won't be able to get the required help from coaches. If he proves to be able to make the jump, perhaps he can be a viable option in the outfield next year.

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