Why Dodgers' top rookie of 2026 is not Josue De Paula

The Los Angeles Dodgers have no shortage of talent. 

Even with Shohei Ohtani on the injured list, the NL West club has one of, if not the best, rosters in the Majors. 

Concerns about the bullpen are warranted. But a starting three in the rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, and one of Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Justin Wrobleski is dominant. 

With Ohtani on the IL, the Dodgers promoted a new talented prospect to replace him at designated hitter: slugger Josue De Paula. 

De Paula promptly hit a homer just a few games into his first taste of the Majors and has a .789 OPS through 25 plate appearances. 

But Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller believes it's too soon to label him the best Dodgers rookie of the season. Instead, Miller awarded that distinction to a middle infielder. 

"There's already a case to be made for Josue De Paula in this spot, even though he just made his MLB debut as Shohei Ohtani's fill-in last Friday," Miller wrote.

"However, [Alex] Freeland spent much of the season as the Dodgers' primary second baseman, providing decent value with his glove while hitting just well enough to earn regular playing time." 

Freeland doesn't have eye-popping offensive numbers, hitting .230 with four home runs and a 79 OPS+.

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But he has +3 outs above average while playing at three infield spots, mainly second base. 

De Paula could change Miller's mind during the final week of the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts should give him plenty of playing time. 

For now, Freeland has done enough to warrant the title as the Dodgers' best rookie of the year. 

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