Ohtani expects to hit in the NLDS while managing lingering injuries

Shohei Ohtani expects to be in the Dodgers' lineup when their Division Series against Atlanta begins Saturday, but his left knee and right biceps problems remain. Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Ohtani is not fully healthy and will need to manage those issues through the postseason.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported that Ohtani took outdoor batting practice around 6 p.m. Pacific on Friday, then faced Emmet Sheehan twice in live work. He struck out in one at-bat and hit a line drive to right in the other. Hitting coach Aaron Bates described the week's batting-practice sessions as encouraging.

Ohtani said through his interpreter that he expects a more thorough assessment of the underlying problems in the offseason. Yahoo Sports' Jack Baer separately reported that explanation, including the knee, biceps and neck issues that have affected him.

MLB's Friday media-session video records Ohtani discussing his injured-list time and preparation for the NLDS.

Ohtani returned from the injured list with five regular-season games left and went 5-for-21 with eight strikeouts, ESPN reports. His recent work has focused on his swing and timing. Roberts' lineup statement does not mean Ohtani is available to pitch; he has not pitched since July 3, and Ohtani said he already understood during his IL stint that he would not pitch again this season.

Earlier reporting: September call-up

The Dodgers are calling up Josue De Paula, with the 21-year-old outfielder expected to join the club Friday in Miami as Shohei Ohtani goes on the injured list.

Manager Dave Roberts announced the plan after Wednesday’s win over Cincinnati, according to MLB.com. The move gives Los Angeles a new bat for the stretch run, but De Paula’s major-league debut is still ahead of him. His minor-league production explains why the Dodgers are giving him the opportunity.

MLB Pipeline’s official announcement identifies De Paula as baseball’s No.6 overall prospect:

The numbers from Double-A Tulsa are substantial. MLB’s official season record lists a .303 batting average, .401 on-base percentage and .547 slugging percentage across 124 games. That adds up to a .948 OPS, with 27 home runs and 104 RBIs.

De Paula collected 152 hits in 501 at-bats, including 37 doubles and two triples. His 66 extra-base hits accounted for more than two-fifths of his hits, a useful measure of the damage behind that batting average. He also scored 106 runs.

His plate appearances were not built entirely around power. De Paula drew 81 walks against 87 strikeouts in 588 trips to the plate. Those totals show how often he reached without needing a hit, while giving the Dodgers a much larger sample to evaluate than a brief hot streak.

He added 31 stolen bases, although the official record also lists 10 times caught stealing. That matters when assessing the complete line: the running game supplied value, but it came with outs as well as advances.

Tulsa’s official account of its Wednesday win offers a recent example of his offense. De Paula hit his 27th homer in the first inning of the Drillers’ 10–1 victory at Northwest Arkansas. The club noted that his 106 runs ranked third in franchise history and his 104 RBIs were tied for third.

Those are Double-A accomplishments, not a guarantee of immediate major-league success. Friday’s arrival would begin a different test against big-league pitching. For now, the confirmed development is the announced promotion and the strong body of work behind it; his lineup spot, debut performance and longer-term role will be determined on the field.