Dodgers' Josue De Paula Sends Direct Message to His Doubters

He has his sights set on greatness.

Sep 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Josue de Paula (95) celebrates after scoring on a two run home run by Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Josue De Paula’s introduction to the big leagues was impressive to say the least.

The crown jewel within the Los Angeles Dodgers’ system was a surprise call up just a couple weeks ago. The 21-year-old was not expected to even receive a cup of coffee with the Dodgers this year. Most expected De Paula to stay in Double-A until at least the remainder of this year before presumably moving up a level in 2027.

Instead, with Shohei Ohtani ailing, the starlet was given an opportunity — and he made the most of it as the Dodgers' everyday designated hitter before being sent back down when Ohtani returned.

Across 11 games, De Paula hit .323 with with one homer, seven RBIs, seven runs and a mind-boggling 1.081 OPS. He only struck out five times while drawing 11 walks.

His approach at the plate was spectacular — and far beyond the scope of someone 21 years old. He has suddenly put the Dodgers in a real dilemma in terms of potentially earning a postseason spot.

During a postgame media scrum while still with the big league club, De Paula spoke about the possibility of playing in the field as an outfielder. His perceived knock as a player relates to his defense.

De Paula doesn’t seem to think it’ll be much of a problem moving forward. He’s even using the skepticism as motivation to fuel him moving forward.

“I know that's a big area and improvement for me,” De Paula said. “I know I got a lot of hate on it. So I'm that type: if I get hate on it, I'm gonna focus on it more. So I'm gonna shut a lot of people up with my defense very soon.”

The Dodgers had hired ex-player Jayson Heyward this past May to join the organization in the front office. Some of his focus had been working with De Paula on his defense in the minor leagues. It’s not overly surprising considering Heyward’s reputation as an elite clubhouse presence coupled with his history as a very good player, especially on defense.

The Dodgers could be forced to look at De Paula as a potential outfield option in the postseason (unless he's nothing more than a pinch hitter). Either way, it's difficult to believe he’d be left off the roster after his 11-game stint in September.

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