Josue De Paula's first week with the Los Angeles Dodgers has been impressive
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Josue De Paula made plenty of noise during his first week in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that's not even counting his use of three walk-up songs in the same game.
“It was awesome,” he said, flashing a dazzling smile.
Batting ninth as the designated hitter, De Paula went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI in his Dodger Stadium debut Friday night, an 8-2 win over the San Francisco Giants.
"I have the utmost confidence in myself and belief,” he said, “so I know when the moment is up for it, I know I’m going to come through.”
De Paula debuted in the major leagues last Friday at Miami. In eight games, the 21-year-old has five hits — his first being a three-run homer off Eury Pérez of the Marlins — five RBIs and four runs. He’s drawn eight walks and struck out just twice. He’s hitting .238 with an OPS of .924.
“We knew that coming up to the big leagues he wasn’t going to get overwhelmed,” manager Dave Roberts said.
De Paula got called up after four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani went on the injured list and is playing his way into a shot at making the postseason roster.
“We need to have somebody coming off the bench. He’s in the mix,” Roberts said. “He’s certainly doing a lot of things well.”
De Paula was born and raised in Brooklyn, but relocated to his father's native Dominican Republic when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports in New York so he could play baseball year-round. He lived with his uncles and enrolled in a baseball academy.
He gained Dominican citizenship, which allowed him to sign with the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2022. He was quickly promoted to Class A the following year at age 18. In 2024, he was promoted to High-A.
Last year, he represented the Dodgers in the All-Star Futures Game, hitting a three-run homer and earning MVP honors.
De Paula is the first player to be called up directly from Double-A during Andrew Friedman's 12-year tenure as president of baseball operations. He's also the first player in Dodgers history to wear No. 95.
Unofficially, he may be the first player on the team to use three different walk-up songs in the same game. In a nod to his Brooklyn roots — also the New York borough where the Dodgers originated — he came to the plate in the second inning to “Notorious” by The Notorious B.I.G., another Brooklyn native.
“I didn’t expect the fans to be so supportive and they were awesome,” he said.
De Paula led off the fifth to “Ima a Boss” by rapper Meek Mill in a nod to his father and promptly singled for his first hit at home. He got the ball and planned to give the keepsake to his parents. His third walk-up song was for his mother.
His two-out double in the sixth snapped a 2-all tie.
“I just love his at-bats,” Roberts said. “He takes his walks. When the ball’s in the hitting zone, he can slug you — but he also knows how to get a base hit. It’s been very professional.”
De Paula even won his challenge using the Automated Ball-Strike system during one at-bat.
“I feel the adrenaline, but I just feel like I know how to pinpoint it and focus it,” he said. “I’m so locked in, but I know how to calm myself down.”
De Paula displays a solid swing and an instinct for good pitch selection. Defensively, he knows he needs some work in the outfield.
“I’m going to shut a lot of people up on my defense very soon,” he said.
De Paula has already impressed Dodgers teammate and former AL MVP Mookie Betts, who called it “really neat” to see a young player who can handle any opposing pitcher.
“He loves playing the game,” Betts said. “When he gets on the field, it’s like a quiet focus, but when he’s off the field, he likes joking and laughing. He’s a good kid.”
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