Dodgers’ unavoidable Shohei Ohtani decision forces their hand with top prospect promotion

The Los Angeles Dodgers were doing everything in their power over the past week to avoid placing Shohei Ohtani on the injured list. It was clear that Ohtani wasn't going to pitch again this season, and this past week included multiple absences from the starting lineup.

The Dodgers couldn't put the decision off any longer, and Ohtani was placed on the 15-day IL following Wednesday's route of the Cincinnati Reds.

Despite the Dodgers already ruling out the idea of Ohtani pitching again during the regular season, his status as two-way player forces LA to use the 15-day designation for Ohtani. With the move retroactive to Tuesday, Ohtani is eligible to be reinstated during the final week of the regular season.

Ohtani has been dealing with a myriad of issues over the past couple of months. Between lingering ailments with his biceps, knee, and neck, it felt inevitable that the Dodgers would need to use an IL stint with the hope of Ohtani getting right before the playoffs.

The concern is that even with Ohtani having the next two weeks to recover, the impression from the Dodgers is that he still won't be 100% once he makes his return. Dave Roberts told reporters on Wednesday night that the goal isn't for Ohtani to be fully recovered, but in a position where he can once again be a meaningful contributor for the Dodgers' offense.

Dodgers get their first glimpse at Josue De Paula but it comes at expense of Shohei Ohtani

Taking Ohtani's spot on the Dodgers' roster is top prospect Josue De Paula. It's worth noting that De Paula is not currently on the Dodgers' 40-man roster, so there will need to be a corresponding move beyond placing Ohtani on the IL.

There was hope at the start of the month that De Paula would be among the first wave of September call-ups for the Dodgers, but they instead used the extra roster space for added infield depth and the returns of multiple players from injury.

Now, De Paula arrives but carries the weight of trying to replace Ohtani in the lineup. In 123 Double-A games this season, De Paula is hitting .302/.400/.539 with 26 home runs and a 143 wRC+.

Of course, there are larger complications for the Dodgers if De Paula rakes immediately. But, for now, the focus is on Ohtani getting healthy, because nothing else matters if that doesn't happen.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow