What do you do when you don’t need to do anything? The Dodgers now have the 2nd best record in baseball… 2 games behind the Braves (whom I believe will soon fade). If Kyle Tucker is finally figuring it out (I am not saying he is… but I now have hope), and if Mookie Betts can be just “league average,” this team really doesn’t need to add any offensive pieces. Alex Freeland’s OPS is now over .700, and I have changed my mind on him. I used to think he would be a useful utility player, but now I see him as a regular. He just needs to play… WHY? Because he is a ballplayer who has exceeded expectations since he was born, and especially since he was drafted by the Dodgers in 2022. Tommy Edman could have something to say about that, but he is at least a couple of weeks away.
As everyone knows, Alex Freeland was born with a severe clubfoot, and spent much of his first year of life in casts and undergoing surgeries. His right foot was twisted at birth, requiring tendon-lengthening surgery and a major foot reconstruction before he was even a year old. He learned to walk wearing a cast that extended all the way to his hip. Even today, his right foot remains smaller than his left and has limited mobility. Many children born with his condition face lifelong physical limitations. Freeland became a professional athlete.
Alex Freeland has been beating the odds since the day he was born.
His doctors looked at a newborn with a clubfoot and saw years of surgeries, casts, and uncertainty. What they couldn’t see was that he had the heart of a future Major Leaguer. Freeland spent his infancy fighting through procedures designed simply to help him walk. Today, he turns double plays under the bright lights of Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers didn’t just call up another prospect. They called up a survivor. A competitor. A young man who refused to let a physical challenge define his future. Every ground ball he fields is a reminder that determination can be stronger than any diagnosis. From a cast up to his hip to a World Championship clubhouse, Alex Freeland’s journey proves that some of the toughest players are the ones who learned how to fight before they ever stepped onto a baseball field.
Alex Freeland wasn’t supposed to walk. Instead, he walked all the way to Dodger Stadium… and we watched him steal a base last night! Who can’t get behind a kid like that?
What’s Next?
NOTHING! Teoscar will be back before the end of the month, and Kike will likely be back in Late July or August. The pitching staff is the best in MLB – the Dodgers are not going to gut the farm with Snell and Glasnow due back fairly soon, and with River Ryan and Gavin Stone on the radar. STOP IT ALREADY! Skubal is a Tommy John in waiting. No thank you! Are you crazy?
Da’ Bears and Da’Region
“The Region” is Northwest Indiana, which is a place that doesn’t quite know whether it’s Indiana or Chicago, and frankly, that’s part of its charm. “The Region” stretches along the southern shore of Lake Michigan through places like Hammond, Gary, Merrillville, Valparaiso, and Michigan City. Locals don’t usually say they’re from Indiana. They’re from The Region. It’s a land of steel mills glowing against the night sky, freight trains that seem a mile long, taverns older than some states, and beaches where Lake Michigan looks more like an ocean than a lake.
The Region has a blue-collar soul. It smells faintly of industry, Italian beef, and determination. Chicago’s skyline hovers on the western horizon like Oz. Many residents work in Illinois, root for Chicago teams, listen to Chicago radio, and argue over who has the best pizza. It’s Indiana with a Chicago accent, and the Indiana Dunes.
As for the Chicago Bears, the possibility is no longer just barroom chatter. Indiana lawmakers created mechanisms specifically aimed at attracting a major professional sports franchise, and Hammond has emerged as a serious candidate for a new stadium site near Wolf Lake, just across the Illinois border. The Bears have openly explored Northwest Indiana as Illinois and the team continue to wrestle over stadium financing, infrastructure, and tax issues.
Why might the Bears end up in Hammond?
- Indiana has been aggressively courting them.
- Hammond is only about 20 miles from downtown Chicago, meaning fans would still be in the same metro area.
- The Bears want control of a modern stadium and surrounding development rather than remaining tenants at Soldier Field.
- Illinois has struggled to provide the legislative support and incentives the team says it needs.
The funny part? If they moved to Hammond, they’d probably still be called the Chicago Bears. The New York Giants and New York Jets play in New Jersey, after all.
So picture it:
The Chicago Bears, playing in Indiana, beside a lake that looks like an ocean, in a region that already cheers for Chicago teams, eats Chicago food, and spends half its life crossing the state line.
If there is any place outside Illinois where the Bears could move without really leaving Chicago, it’s The Region.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
Round Rock Express (Texas) 9 – OKC Comets 5
At one point the score was knotted at 3-3. SS Noah Miller led off the scoring with a solo HR (8) in the 2nd.
In LHSP Jackson Ferris’ 2nd start since returning from the IL, he got through the first 2 innings without a blemish as he did in his last start. But this time he went back out for a 3rd inning. He gave up 3 runs, on 2 singles, 1 BB, and 1 double. He did strike out 2.
OKC got 1 back in the 3rd. DH Jack Suwinski singled, moved to 2nd on a ground out, and scored on 2B Hyeseong Kim’s RBI single.
They tied it in the 4th. RF Zach Ehrhard drew a 2-out BB. LF Tommy Edman singled Ehrhard to 3rd. Ehrhard scored on 1B James Tibbs III’s RBI single.
After LHRP Ronan Kopp pitched a scoreless 4th (1 BB and 1 K), OKC brought in RHRP Ryder Ryan. He allowed a single who moved to 3rd on a 2nd single. One runner scored on a sac fly, while the 2nd run scored on a double. 4 batters in and 2 runs scored.
In the 7th, Ryan was back on the mound. Ryan surrendered a BB and then a run scoring double. A WP put the runner on 3rd. Next batter walked. The runner on 3rd scored on a ground out, and another scored on a double. Ryan was lifted for LHRP Garrett McDaniels who got the final two outs on a F9 where Ehrhard made a strong throw home to double up the runner.
McDaniels gave up a run in the 8th after a single, ground out, WP, and single.
New Comet CF Alek Thomas slugged a 2-run HR in the 9th.
In the battle of the two new recently signed former MLB OF, Round Rock’s Jarred Kelenic went 3-4 with a BB, 3 runs, 1 RBI, double, while Alek Thomas 1-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR.
- Noah Miller – 2-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, triple (4), HR (8)
- Chuckie Robinson – 2-4, double (3)
Another Ehrhard web gem.
Tulsa Drillers 8 – Amarillo Sod Poodles (Arizona) 3
LHSP Adam Serwinowski had another quality start. He completed 6.0 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits. The one blemish was the 4 BB with his 6K. It was the BBs that created the run opportunity. He walked 2 in the 2nd and a single gave the Sod Poodles a 1-0 lead.
Tulsa tied it up in the 4th. C Griffin Lockwood-Powell led off with a double (9). 1B Kyle Nevin singled GLP to 3rd. GLP scored on 3B Jake Gelof’s sac fly.
Tulsa started to pull away in the 6th. Gelof drew a 1-out BB and scored ahead of LF Chris Newell’s HR (6). 2B Taylor Young walked, stole 2nd and scored on a double (19) from DH Josue De Paula.
In the 7th, SS Elijah Hainline worked a leadoff BB. With 2 outs, Nevin singled and Gelof walked to load the bases. Newell then hit a 2-run single.
In the 9th, GLP led off with a single. Both Gelof and Newell reached on errors with GLP scoring. JDP singled home Gelof for run #8.
RHRP Nick Robertson continued his mastery of Texas League hitters with two more scoreless innings. He did give up 2 hits and 1 BB to go with 4 K.
RHRP Lucas Wepf entered in the 9th to close out the game. He did close it out, but not before giving up 2 solo HR.
An excellent start for Serwinowski, 2 more outstanding relief innings by Robertson, and 16 hits. Good game for Tulsa.
- Josue De Paula – 3-6, 2 RBI, double (19)
- Mike Sirota – 2-6
- Elijah Hainline – 3-3, 2 BB, 1 run
- Griffin Lockwood-Powell – 2-5, 2 runs, double (9)
- Kyle Nevin – 3-5, 1 run
- Chris Newell – 2-5, 1 run, 4 RBI
Great Lakes Loons 6 – Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 4
RHSP Aidan Foeller was making his first start since May 10. He retired all 6 batters he faced with 2 Ks. He threw 26 pitches (18 strikes).
Foeller exited the game with a 3-0 lead. SS Emil Morales absolutely crushes a HR in the 1st (3). In the 2nd, DH Samuel Munoz hit his 1st HR of the year. 3B Nico Perez then singled, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a ground out, and scored on a WP.
LHSP Jakob Wright was scheduled to be the bulk pitcher. He walked the first batter he faced who moved to 2nd on a ground out. Runner stole 3rd and scored on a single. Wright then gave up a 2-run HR to tie the game.
Wright was still pitching in the 5th. Again he walked the leadoff batter who moved to 3rd on a double and scored on a ground out.
GL picked up a pair in the 6th. Munoz led off with a HBP, and moved to 2nd on a balk. 1B Jose D. Hernandez singled moving Munoz to 3rd, where he scored on a WP. Hernandez moved to 2nd on the WP and scored on a RBI single by CF Chuck Davalan.
The Loons put up one more in the 7th after LF Kole Myers drew a BB. Myers stole 2nd and scored on an errant pickoff throw.
- Emil Morales – 3-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (3)
- Samuel Munoz – 1-2. 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 runs, 1 RBI, HR (1)
Ontario Tower Buzzers 4 – Stockton Ports (A’s) 2
RHSP Tyler Gough started and completed 5.0 solid innings. He allowed one run on 3 hits, 1 BB, with 6 K. Last November the Dodgers traded LHP Robinson Ortiz to Seattle for Gough.
LF AJ Soldra hit a one out HR (7) in the 3rd for a 1-0 lead. Gough gave up a single and RBI double in the 4th to tie the score.
In the bottom of the 4th, 3B Chase Harlan slugged his 8th HR.
Ontario put up a pair in the 6th. CF Jaron Elkins drew a BB, and scored on Harlan’s 8th double. Harlan scored on SS Joendry Vargas’ RBI single.
RHP Jesus Tillero pitched well for 3.0 innings. 3 of the 5 hits he gave up in his 4.0 IP came in the 9th for a run. Tillero induced a DP to end the game.
- Chase Harlan – 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double (8), HR (8)
- Kellon Lindsey – 2-4, double (4)
- Joendry Vargas – 2-4, 1 RBI
- AJ Soldra – 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (7)
A’s ACL 8 – Dodgers ACL 4
The first four Dodgers pitchers pitched 1.0 innings each. They gave up 2 runs on 2 singles and 3 BB. But the 5th pitcher did not have a good night. RHRP Joel Cruz pitched 2 innings allowing 6 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits and 2 BB. The hits included 2 doubles and a HR.
The Dodgers had 2 hits, both singles. LF Cameron Decker on a rehab assignment had one, and RF Jose Gonzalez had the other.
No DSL Games
1. Kellon Lindsey, Chase Harlan, and Jaron Elkins of the Tower Buzzers will likely be heading the “Looney” Bin soon! Get it Loon?
2. DePaula and Sirota look as if they have graduated AA, but I am not sure you are doing them any favors by moving them to the PCL.
3. Emil Morales – still only 19… still with tantalizing power. He has to cook for a while at A+
THANK YOU, JEFF!
2. I think you mean Sirota (or Hope)
I’m starting to like some of these sleeper guys like N. Miller, Hainline, N. Perez, Soldra . . .
And SP prospects have slowed their trickle a bit, but Ferris, Copen, Serwinowski, Zazueta, Root, et al have promise.
Got it – Fixed!
“He has to cook for a while at A+“
It would appear there are a lot of hot prospects that will remain stewing where they are.
Why we talking about The Bears, when the Rams just got Myles Freaking Garrett…..
My sons college teammate/buddy played with Freeland in the travel ball scene in GA, said he was always a gamer then and a wizard with the glove….
Because they are Da Bears!
The Region. The Bears.
I don’t care.
But the Rams? Oh yeah. And the talk of Aaron Donald returning is heating up out here.
Watching Freeland is becoming a thing! He seems to have all the confidence in the world! Line drives. Good at bats. Good base running. Great defense. I see no reason to send him back down no matter who comes back! As far as I’m concerned, he’s the starting second baseman. When Edman comes back, he should slide right into a utility role. Alex is earning his spot in dodger blue.
So if Freeland is the second baseman. Edman comes back. Kike is healthy at some point. What do they do with Kim? I don’t have an opinion, just asking the question. Does Call become expendable? Probably not this season. We know when Teo comes back Espinal goes. I guess Freeland could be odd man out again. Boy that would suck.
Hernandez has pitched very well since being brought in. Amazing how he could be out of the majors for 2 years and get to LA and contribute immediately! Oh the things the Dodgers staff does with pitchers nobody else wants! Big money isn’t always behind big success!
Last thing. Ohtani is special. Nothing new here to report on! But with a long way to go in the season, how tired physically will he be in October? He’s still a young man who has extraordinary abilities! But he was using every second possible last night on the pitch clock. He’s rarely attempting stolen bases. ( not anyone on the team is) . Dude can pitch! Dude can hit! I know it’s stupid, but I would love to see him in right field just for one game. I just hope he doesn’t run out of gas this fall!
Call and Kim are both nice backup players, but Sirota could fill Call’s shoes as an RH Hitter who can play all three outfield spots. Call is a fast athlete, but Sirota is a fast athlete who scouts believe can remain in center field long-term and impact the game with speed on both sides of the ball. So if they raced from home to first tomorrow, I’d put a small wager on Alex Call by half a step, but it’s close enough that I wouldn’t be shocked if Sirota won.
Great Article in The Athletic on Dodgers using technology to sharpen Dalton Rushing’s catching, ABS challenges:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7328229/2026/06/03/dodgers-dalton-rushing-abs-challenges/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=147501&source=dailyemail
in addition to the hitting work the dodgers have done with Thomas, the pitching development done with Root is a nice story.
After being drafted his FB was low 90s, his calling card was the other stuff he threw. The team went to work, kept him out of most games last year and without impact his plus secondary stuff and command, his FB now reaches 96-99!
Also in the, it’s not the amount of money, but how you spend it world:
4 of 1st place teams are low revenue, whilst 4 of the top payroll teams are in last place.
The Dodgers win because they have smart people doing better.
Trust them. Emulate them
This is the ONLY hope I have for the Lakers future: that this Dodger group takes over and builds it to what the Dodgers are.
Remember the old days (April) when Shohei couldn’t hit and pitch.
I can’t decide if I’m more excited by the big league club or our young prospects.
If the Bears move to Hammond, will they still be called the Chicago Bears (like the NY Giants and Jets who actually play in NJ).
Thursday’s Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) vs. Lansing (Zane Taylor)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (River Ryan) vs. Round Rock (TBD)
5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Payton Martin) at Amarillo (Daniel Eagen)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Stockton (Shotaro Morii)
I was hoping they would call up River Ryan this weekend versus the Angels.
While I agree that the Dodgers should NOT go after Skubal I do think it is a very real possibility. They do not hesitate paying premium prices for elite talent and they are going to have to figure out what to do with the glut of OF prospects they have. They could also include Ryan, Sheehan, or even Glasnow if they wanted to help with some of his remaining cost. Never say never!