Dodgers place Shohei Ohtani on 15-day injured list, promote top prospect Josue De Paula
Shohei Ohtani was moved to the 15-day injured list due to a right-biceps issue, and the Dodgers are calling up prospect Josue De Paula to fill his roster spot.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that two-way star Shohei Ohtani will be placed on the 15-day injured list for pitchers because of a right-biceps problem that surfaced during Monday’s at-bat. Ohtani, who has been dealing with knee and arm injuries and has not pitched since early July, was back in the lineup earlier this week but returned to the bench after two games. Roberts said the move is intended to give Ohtani enough time to recover before the postseason, noting that he may not be at 100 percent when he returns.
The club plans to promote 21-year-old prospect Josue De Paula, the top prospect in the Dodgers system, to take Ohtani’s place. De Paula, who hit .302 with 26 home runs and 31 steals at Double-A this season, will skip Triple-A and assume the majority of designated-hitter duties while Ohtani is sidelined. Roberts indicated that De Paula will get a chance to face major-league pitching despite questions about his defensive abilities.
If the IL stint is back-dated to Monday, Ohtani could be eligible to return for the team’s penultimate series against the San Diego Padres and potentially appear in a few games before the postseason begins.