Freeman was announced as the manager of the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in the Mariners' organization Tuesday.
The move officially brings the 35-year-old's playing career to a close. Drafted 331st overall by the Diamondbacks in 2010, Freeman appeared in the big leagues in every season from 2016 to 2021, hitting .225/.306/.306 in 193 career games. He did not play affiliated ball in 2022.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Freeman cleared waivers Tuesday and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Freeman was designated for assignment Sunday. With all 29 other teams passing during the waiver process -- unsurprising for a 34-year-old with a career .225/.306/.306 slash line -- Freeman will remain in the organization.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Cedes 40-man spot to Senzel
Rotowire
The Reds designated Freeman for assignment Sunday.
He'll surrender his spot on the 40-man roster to infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel (knee), who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Assuming he clears waivers within the next few days, Freeman should stick around with Senzel in Louisville after he was previously optioned to the affiliate Aug. 6. Over 37 games at the big-league level this season, the journeyman utility player slashed an unremarkable .186/.262/.186 in 65 plate appearances.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Freeman was optioned to Triple-A Louisville on Friday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Freeman had been filling almost exclusively a bench role, starting just once in the Reds' last 16 games. He'll make way on the roster for Mike Moustakas (heel), who returned from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Draws start at hot corner
Rotowire
Freeman will start at third base and bat eighth Sunday against the Cardinals.
Freeman will pick up his second start of the second half after previously filling in for Kyle Farmer at shortstop in a July 18 loss to the Brewers. The veteran utility man is slashing .200/.286/.200 across 56 plate appearances on the season.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Gets rare start
Rotowire
Freeman will start at shortstop and bat eighth Monday against the Phillies.
Freeman will enter the lineup for the first time since June 16 and will pick up just his second start in the Reds' last 20 games. The 33-year-old utility man is unlikely to pick up regular starts at any point this season unless the Reds are missing multiple everyday infielders due to injury.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Recalled by Reds
Rotowire
The Reds recalled Freeman from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Freeman will fill the roster spot of Michael Feliz, who goes to the injured list for undisclosed reasons. After narrowly missing out on a big-league roster spot in spring training, Freeman has struggled with a .208 average in 48 Triple-A at-bats this season. He'll serve as additional infield depth for however long he remains with the Reds.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Denied roster spot
Rotowire
The Reds reassigned Freeman to their minor-league camp Monday.
Freeman had been in contention for a utility role on the Reds' Opening Day roster, but his demotion leaves Kyle Farmer and Alex Blandino as the main contenders for one or two available reserve jobs in the infield.
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Reds' Mike Freeman: Sent to Cincinnati
Rotowire
Freeman was traded from Cleveland to Cincinnati in exchange for cash considerations Friday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
The move could be a good one for Freeman, as the Reds have a very uninspiring mix of options at shortstop, featuring players such as Jose Garcia, Kyle Farmer, Kyle Holder and Dee Strange-Gordon. Of course, Freeman isn't a particularly exciting option himself. His career .232/.315/.330 slash line fits right in with the aforementioned group, so there's no particular reason to believe he'll move to the forefront. Even if he does carve out a regular role, it's hard to envision him posting the kind of numbers that would help most fantasy teams.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Back in Cleveland
Rotowire
Freeman re-signed with Cleveland on a minor-league deal Thursday.
The contract includes an invitation to big-league camp, where Freeman should be in the running for a bench spot. He's filled that role on and off in Cleveland for the last two seasons, hitting a passable .270/.352/.377 in 256 plate appearances.
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Mike Freeman: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Freeman elected free agency Saturday rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Columbus.
Freeman filled a bench role for Cleveland during the abbreviated 2020 campaign, hitting a modest .237/.302/.316 in his 43 trips to the plate. That slash line looks a whole lot like his career .232/.315/.330 career marks, meaning the 33-year-old will almost certainly be searching for a minor-league deal this winter.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Freeman was outrighted to Triple-A Columbus on Friday.
Freeman provided defensive versatility for Cleveland in 2020, but he only logged 38 at-bats, slashing .237/.302/.316 with three RBI and 11 strikeouts. The 31-year-old was more effective at the plate in 2019, and another team could take a chance on him to serve as a defensive option at multiple positions.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Remains in minor role
Rotowire
Freeman has started just eight games this season and managed just three in Cleveland's last 21 contests.
Cleveland's infield has stayed very healthy this season, so bench players like Freeman haven't been needed much. A total of eight starts in the infield have gone to players other than Opening Day starters Carlos Santana, Cesar Hernandez, Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor. Freeman has received five of them, with Yu Chang receiving three. Freeman has done little of note in his limited playing time, hitting .229/.300/.314 through 40 plate appearances.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Secures roster spot
Rotowire
Freeman will be included on the Indians' 30-man, Opening Day roster, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
The 32-year-old was in close competition with Christian Arroyo in spring training to make the original Opening Day roster, and both players will be present in the team's initial 30-man group. Freeman had a solid showing in his first significant major-league action in 2019, posting a .752 OPS with four home runs and 24 RBI in 213 plate appearances.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Invited to summer camp
Rotowire
Freeman will be a part of the Indians' 60-man player pool this season.
While Freeman isn't on the 40-man roster, he had impressed enough in spring training that he may have broken camp with the big club under normal circumstances. The Indians were initially going to have to choose between rostering Freeman or Christian Arroyo, but now they will be able to find MLB playing time for both utility infielders this season.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Could make roster
Rotowire
Freeman was in a tight race with Christian Arroyo for the utility infielder spot when camp was suspended, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
The Indians designated him for assignment early in the offseason when they brought in Emmanuel Clase and Delino DeShields, but Freeman has a lot of respect in the clubhouse after being something of an unsung hero in 2019. He hit .286/.400/.381 with zero home runs, six strikeouts and four walks in 25 plate appearances this spring. While Arroyo is on the 40-man roster and might be the better hitter, Freeman is the superior defender, and might be a more trusted by manager Terry Francona.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Freeman was sent outright to Triple-A Columbus on Friday, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.
Per Hoynes, Freeman has until Sunday to accept his assignment to Triple-A Columbus before becoming a free agent. He hit .277 with four home runs and 24 RBI with Cleveland over 75 games a season ago.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Loses roster spot
Rotowire
The Indians designated Freeman for assignment Sunday.
Freeman became a casualty after the Indians needed to open up spots on the 40-man roster for trade pickups Delino DeShields and Emmanuel Clase, who were acquired from the Rangers on Sunday in exchange for Corey Kluber. The 32-year-old Freeman posted a serviceable .752 OPS across 213 plate appearances in 2019 and has the ability to play multiple positions, so he could draw interest elsewhere via waivers.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Heads to bench
Rotowire
Freeman is not in the lineup Saturday against Washington.
Freeman had moved into a starting role at second base, starting each of the previous five games. Andrew Velasquez gets the nod at the keystone in his absence.
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Indians' Mike Freeman: Sitting Wednesday
Rotowire
Freeman is not in the lineup Wednesday against Detroit.
Freeman seemed like a potential replacement for Jose Ramirez (hand) at third base, but he's been on the bench for two of the three games since Ramirez hit the injured list. Yu Chang gets the nod at the hot corner again Wednesday even with a righty (Jordan Zimmermann) starting for the Tigers.
