Freeland, a utility infielder, spent most of his time playing during Max Muncy’s stint on the injured list, but with the Dodgers picking up Muncy’s club option for an extra season in LA earlier in the offseason, he is once again locked down at the Major League level.
More news: Blue Jays Free Agent Bo Bichette linked to Dodgers
The Athletics Fabian Ardaya spoke about Freeland’s status within the organization, as well as what the 24-year-old would need to do to break into the Dodgers’ starting lineup.
‘I think a lot of it depends on where Alex Freeland shows his ceiling’ The student wrote. “He’s a switch-hitter, but the Dodgers seemed to trust him only as a left-handed hitter against major league pitching during his first stint in the major leagues. Freeland’s minor league numbers backed that up, with an .840 OPS for lefties and a .676 OPS for righties. He’s seen as a good defender at second and third base, but not an everyday shortstop at this point. His chance for regular playing time this season depends largely on the question of whether an injury will open up a spot as the roster is currently being assembled.
“Freeland is still clearly a developmental success story, especially if his gains in making contact in the strike zone continue in 2025. If he can do that more regularly against big league pitching – his contact rate was 72.2 percent in the majors last year, compared to 78.8 percent in the minors – then maybe his offensive profile plays a little better.”
More news: Kyle Tucker to Dodgers? MLB Insider provides the latest Outlook
During his 29 games in the Majors last year, Freeland posted a .602 OPS with two home runs and a batting average south of the Mendoza line. As Ardaya mentioned, he hit much better from the left side than from the right, posting a .643 OPS against righties compared to a .393 OPS against lefties.
If Freeland can fix his issues at the Major League level and lower his 36.1 percent strikeout rate, he has a chance to break into the big league club’s lineup, especially with the 36-year-old Muncy’s contract set to expire at the end of 2026.
Photo credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
Have you downloaded the new Dodgers Nation app yet? Click here for Apple users And here for Android users to be part of the redesigned app to give fans everything they need, all in one placee. Don’t miss it live GameCast with play-by-play, news and analysis, Dodgers Nation podcasts and videos, all the stats you want and more!
#Dodgers #longterm #plan #Alex #Freeland #Insider #weighs