Their batting average (17th), isolated power (22nd), and runs scored (26th) all ranked closer to the bottom of the league. So, who did the two-time defending champions tab for a promotion when rosters expanded from 26 to 28 on Tuesday, Sept. 1? According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, a 25-year-old infielder who's hitting .231 with three home runs, 19 RBIs and a .622 OPS in the majors.
Alex Freeland is already familiar to Dodgers fans. The glove-first middle infielder has played 72 games across two separate stints in Los Angeles this season. But for all his ability to give veteran third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Mookie Betts, and second basemen Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas a day off, Freeland will not help the Dodgers where their roster has been hurting the most.
More news: Dodgers All-Star Nears Return, Begins Rehab Assignment One possible reason for promoting Freeland: the Dodgers' best hitter at Triple-A, outfielder James Tibbs III, is not on their 40-man roster. The Dodgers are on the verge of needing to create 40-man roster spots for catcher Will Smith and pitcher Blake Treinen. Both players are on the 60-day injured list, and thus will bump players off the Dodgers' 40-man roster when their minor league rehabilitation assignments expire soon.
By promoting Freeland over Tibbs (among other hot-hitting outfielders in the organization), the Dodgers are effectively kicking another possible 40-man roster move down the road. More news: Former Dodgers World Series Champion Retires at 33 The Dodgers host the St. Louis Cardinals for the first of three consecutive games later in the day Tuesday.
The promotion of Freeland, in addition to their second roster expansion-related transaction, have yet to be officially announced by the team. An unannounced injury to an infielder — or Tibbs — would certainly make the promotion of Freeland make more sense. For now at least, it looks like the Dodgers' front office is counting on more time off boosting the offensive output of their existing group of players.
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