The Los Angeles Dodgers’ challenge finding a suitable candidate to occupy the No. 2 spot in the batting order has persisted throughout the season, and now manager Dave Roberts has made yet another change.
Freddie Freeman was moved up in the Dodgers lineup to bat behind Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. Roberts expects that lineup combination to be the norm going forward, especially against right-handed starting pitchers.
“I think versus right, we’re going to see that more. I think it’s not just a matchup thing. I just think that again, I’ve given it enough time trying to figure out what potentially could work,” Roberts said. “But I like Freddie in the two, certainly, versus right-handed pitching for the foreseeable future.”
Freeman has been L.A.’s second-most productive hitter this season. The 36-year-old entered Tuesday batting .307/.380/.475 with 27 doubles, 15 home runs and a 137 wRC+, which is second only to Ohtani.
The Dodgers previously tried out Freeman in the two-hole earlier this season, but he performed below expectations in that time. The 17-year veteran has not been the only one to struggle in that role, with Kyle Tucker, Andy Pages and Mookie Betts also experiencing trouble hitting behind Ohtani.
Roberts previously viewed Tommy Edman as a potential answer for the problem spot in the Dodgers lineup, but he has been utilized elsewhere in the order.
Pages received the bulk of the opportunities as the Dodgers’ No. 2 hitter since May 26. Roberts believes the experience was good for his ongoing development, but decided to shake up the batting order out of a sense of urgency due to the recent skid.
In 20 games when hitting second in the lineup this season, Freeman owns a .213 batting average with just four extra-base hits. But 389 career games, Freeman has actually acquitted himself quite well in that spot, with a .312 batting average, 118 doubles and 63 home runs.
Freddie Freeman not concerned by Dodgers’ recent struggles
The Dodgers dropped a third consecutive series for the first time in nearly a year after a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
This losing stretch has concerned some, but Freeman expressed confidence that the team would bounce back. While there have been some struggles the past two nights, the Dodgers managed to win both games.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
