This page may contain affiliate links. If you click and sign up, make a deposit, or place a wager, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Door opens to 2B opportunity
Rotowire
Freeland, Hyeseong Kim and Miguel Rojas were mentioned by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts as options to begin the regular season as the starter at second base with Tommy Edman (ankle) expected to be placed on the injured list, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
Freeland struggled during his first experience in the majors last season, posting a .602 OPS with a 36.1 percent strikeout rate over 97 plate appearances. However, he recorded an .835 OPS with 16 homers, 18 stolen bases and 82 RBI across 106 games at Triple-A, so he doesn't have much left to prove at that level. Freeland, Kim and Rojas appear to be in a truly open competition to be the Opening Day starter at the keystone, and Freeland probably has the most to gain since he may begin the campaign in the minors if he doesn't win the positional battle.
The Dodgers optioned Freeland to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
The move comes in order to make room on the active roster for Ben Rortvedt, who was selected by the Dodgers on Thursday as Will Smith battles a hand injury. Alexis Diaz was also designated for assignment as part of the move. Freeland got the call at the end of July and slashed .190/.292/.310 across his first 97 plate appearances in the big leagues. The rookie infielder had been filling in for a multitude of Dodgers on the injured list, such as Max Muncy, Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernandez and Hyeseong Kim. With some of them nearing a return or having already returned, Freeland might not rejoin the Dodgers in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Homers off bench in loss
Rotowire
Freeland hit a solo home run in his lone at-bat during Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Padres.
Freeland, a switch hitter, has largely been held out of the lineup versus southpaws, and that was true Saturday against San Diego lefty Nestor Cortes. Freeland ended up providing the Dodgers' lone run -- and second and final hit -- when he went yard off Jeremiah Estrada as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. This was Freeland's second homer in as many days and his fifth extra-base hits over his last six contests. The young infielder is batting .241 with a .776 OPS, six RBI, 10 runs scored and a stolen base through 70 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Swats first major-league homer
Rotowire
Freeland went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk in Friday's 2-1 loss to the Padres.
Freeland has four extra-base hits over his last five games. His homer Friday was the first of his big-league career, coming in his 20th game. Freeland is up to a .228/.353/.351 slash line with five RBI, nine runs scored and a stolen base through 69 plate appearances. He should continue to see time primarily against right-handed pitchers while the Dodgers wait to get some infielders back from injuries.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Perking up at plate
Rotowire
Freeland went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, a run and an RBI in Thursday's 9-5 win over Colorado.
Freeland not only posted his first three-hit effort in the majors, he also hit his first big-league triple and his second major-league double. The rookie infielder went 6-for-17 in the first five games following his July 29 call-up, but he then sputtered to a 1-for-25 stretch that included 10 strikeouts (albeit with seven walks) over his next 10 contests. Freeland may be starting to turn things back around, as he's gone 5-for-13 with three extra-base knocks and just one punchout over his past four contests. He's been starting regularly against right-handed pitchers, logging time at both second and third base.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Posts first steal
Rotowire
Freeland went 0-for-1 with a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Padres.
Freeland's major-league career started well, but he's gone just 2-for-25 with seven walks and 10 strikeouts over his last 10 games. He's still seeing a decent share of playing time as the Dodgers try to plug holes in an infield missing Max Muncy (oblique), Tommy Edman (ankle) and Enrique Hernandez (elbow). Sunday's steal was the first of Freeland's career, and he's batting .167 with two RBI and six runs scored over his first 15 contests.
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: On bench after four straight starts
Rotowire
Freeland is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
Freeland had started at either second base or third base in each of the Dodgers' previous four games and went 2-for-14 with two walks, two runs and one RBI, but he'll hit the bench for the series finale. Max Muncy should serve as Los Angeles' primary option at third base now that he's healthy again, but Freeland could rank as the team's preferred second baseman over Miguel Rojas until the Dodgers get one of Hyeseong Kim (shoulder) or Tommy Edman (ankle) back from the injured list.
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: On bench in Muncy's return
Rotowire
Freeland is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.
With Max Muncy (knee) returning from the 10-day injured list Monday and taking back his usual spot at third base in the series finale, Freeland will hit the bench after he had manned the hot corner in each of the previous four games while going 4-for-13 with an RBI and a 1:6 BB:K. Since utility man Tommy Edman (ankle) landed on the injured list in a corresponding move, Freeland's stay in the big leagues will be extended, though he'll now have to vie for playing time at the keystone. Miguel Rojas will start at second base Monday, but manager Dave Roberts said that Freeland will receive his first start at the position Tuesday, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports.
11:21
0:21
1:14
1:02
0:59
1:33
1:33
1:58
1:43
1:34
0:48
11:22
1:12
1:00
1:27
1:19
3:05
1:12
2:10
2:27
