Ohtani heads to IL; Dodgers calling up top prospect De Paula to play DH - ESPN

Shohei Ohtani, who has sat out six of the past seven games because of discomfort in his right arm, is going on the injured list, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after Wednesday night's 14-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Dodgers are also calling up Josue De Paula, one of baseball's best outfield prospects, from Double-A to temporarily take his place at designated hitter, Roberts said.

As a two-way player, Ohtani must go on the 15-day injured list, which means that, when backdated to his last appearance on Monday, the soonest he can return is Sept. 23. That would give Ohtani a maximum of five regular-season games to get ready for the playoffs.

De Paula, 21, will join the team Friday for the start of a seven-game trip through Miami and Cincinnati and is expected to get most of the playing time vacated by Ohtani over the next 11 games. He was rated the 10th-best prospect in ESPN's updated rankings last month and has been tearing it up in Double-A, slashing .303/.401/.547 with 27 home runs and 31 stolen bases in 124 games.

Roberts said putting Ohtani on the IL was «the right thing to do,» adding, «We tried to kick the can as much as we could.»

Asked his confidence that Ohtani will be in a good place when he gets back, Roberts said: «Very.»

«If it were a postseason game tomorrow, he would be in the lineup,» Roberts said. «Now you're talking about two weeks, 14 days. I feel that it's that substantial. He'll be in a much better place than he was today. Is it going to be 100%? Probably not. But I do think, with this time that we're taking now, he'll be in an adequate spot to finish the season and beyond.»

De Paula, who was signed out of the Dominican Republic for slightly less than $400,000 in 2022,