The Los Angeles Dodgers have to change something before next season begins following their disappointing finish to the 2026 season, and Sonja Chen of MLB.com believes an extended run of games for Josue De Paula could go a long way.
In her "way-too-early" look at the Dodgers' roster for 2027 , Chen listed De Paula as the Dodgers' starting left fielder.
De Paula only has 11 regular-season MLB games under his belt, but looked like a seasoned player during his brief tenure in the bigs last season.
He hit a monster home run against the Miami Marlins during those 11 games, bringing home a total of seven runs while posting a 1.081 OPS with a .500 on-base percentage. His performances during the regular season earned him a spot on both the NLDS and NLCS roster.
Sep 13, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Josue de Paula (95) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
De Paula only featured four times in the postseason, stepping up to the plate three times, and drew one walk.
"The outfield is a chance for the Dodgers to mix things up, although their three starters in 2026 — Teoscar Hernández, Pages and Tucker — are all under contract in '27," Chen wrote . "De Paula, L.A.'s top prospect and No. 4 overall per MLB Pipeline, certainly looked the part of a big league hitter in 11 games in September. But his defense remains a big question mark."
De Paula played well beyond his years in 2026, and giving him a shot in the majors next season would be a borderline criminal offense by the Dodgers.
While his offensive capabilities are impressive and he almost certainly deserves a spot on the roster, starting as the Dodgers' left fielder may be too much too soon for the rookie.
As Chen stated, the organization has concerns over his defense in the outfield, and have made clear they want to see improvement from him.
"I think with [De Paula], we've talked through it and he's fully aware of continuing to improve defensively," general manager Brandon Gomes said . "We've all seen what he's capable of in the box which is incredibly exciting. With that being said, we have a very talented core group already here, so I think it's finding those opportunities but also making sure that throughout this offseason and coming into spring training that he continues to improve and get to that bar and gets to be an above average defender."
Additionally, having De Paula in the lineup gives the Dodgers another left-handed bat in an already lefty-heavy lineup. Other than De Paula, the Dodgers have Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker as left-handed bats.
He could very well start some games, but given manager Dave Roberts' tendency to play for favorable matchups, it's hard to believe he'd have De Paula starting all 162 games in left field over Teoscar Hernandez .
That being said, De Paula will definitely play a role for the Dodgers next season, and will look to build on his successful stint in MLB with an extended period of that same success.
