Dodgers place Ohtani on 15-day IL, promote top prospect Josue De Paula

Shohei Ohtani, who has missed six of the past seven games with right-arm discomfort, was placed on the 15-day injured list, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the team’s 14-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The move backs up to Ohtani’s last appearance on Monday, making the earliest possible return date September 23, which would give him at most five regular-season games before the playoffs.

Roberts announced that the club is promoting 21-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula from Double-A to serve as the designated hitter during Ohtani’s absence. De Paula, ranked the No. 10 prospect in ESPN’s latest list, has been hitting .303 with a .401 on-base percentage and .547 slugging, along with 27 home runs and 31 stolen bases in 124 Double-A games.

"We tried to kick the can as much as we could," Roberts said, describing the decision to place Ohtani on the injured list. He added that the team believes the rest will put Ohtani in a better position for the postseason, though he may not be at 100 %.

"If it were a postseason game tomorrow, he would be in the lineup," Roberts said, expressing confidence in Ohtani’s recovery.

Ohtani has not pitched since early July because of lingering knee soreness and indicated he is unlikely to pitch again this season. His recent offensive production has also declined, with only seven hits and 22 strikeouts in his last 54 at-bats, down from a .902 OPS overall.

De Paula, signed from the Dominican Republic in 2022 for just under $400,000, advanced quickly through the Dodgers’ minor-league system and was deemed a potential impact player, leading the club to keep him out of trade discussions. Evaluators consider his bat ready for the major leagues, and he is expected to receive most of Ohtani’s designated-hitter duties over the next 11 games as the team begins a seven-game road trip.