Alex Freeland Has More Work to do!
I generally don’t have a “favorite” player… kind of like I don’t have a favorite kid… or grandkid. However, I am unashamed to say that Alex Freeland is now my favorite player, simply because of what he has had to overcome to get where he is. I admire his parents for what they did for him, and I admire his indomitable spirit. However, the time has come for Alex to…
I generally don’t have a “favorite” player… kind of like I don’t have a favorite kid… or grandkid. However, I am unashamed to say that Alex Freeland is now my favorite player, simply because of what he has had to overcome to get where he is. I admire his parents for what they did for him, and I admire his indomitable spirit. However, the time has come for Alex to go back to OKC as soon as Kike Hernandez is activated. The Dodgers won’t rush that one. Obliques are sneaky little gremlins. He allegedly took a live at-bat against Edwin Díaz on July 5, which is a good sign… for both of them.
Alex Freeland’s walk rate is 10.6% That’s good. For context:
| BB% | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5–6% | Low |
| 7–8% | Average-ish |
| 9–10% | Good |
| 11–13% | Very good |
| 14%+ | Elite patience |
So the bat goblin math says: his walk rate is solid, but the 30.3% K-rate is the red flag. Ideally, you’d love to see him keep the walk rate around 10–12% while cutting the strikeouts closer to 24–26%.
When Kike comes up, Alex has to go back to OKC and work on that. He is only 24 and has time to improve. I don’t want to hear anything about Hyeseong Kim. He is OPS’ing about the same as Freeland… only he’s at AAA. The Dodgers will be just fine with Kike. I could also see Kevin Call being traded. He’s league average, but has a below-average arm and little pop. Could the Dodgers have the audacity to call up Mike Sirota to be the 5th outfielder at the trade deadline? Hummmm…
- Next year, I can see the Dodgers trading a couple of outfielders for a shortstop… with Mookie going to 2B. Alex will be Superutility.
- In a year or so, could the Dodgers go after Kyle Karros?
- I predict this is Teoscar’s last year with the Dodgers. New LF’er: Josue DePaula!
- Dalton Rushing is growing right before our eyes.
- Could Will be Wally Pipped?
2028 Opening Day
C – Dalton Rushing
1B – Kyle Tucker
2B – Mookie Betts
SS – Kevin McGonigal (Dodgers traded Hope, Kim, Davalan, Zazueta, Ko, and West)
3B – Kyle Karros
LF – Josue DePaula
CF – Mike Sirota
RF – Andy Pages
DH- Ohtani
Bench: Freeland, Miller, Tibbs III, Smith, George
Call me crazy!
ACL Dodgers 4 – ACL White Sox 1
The two ACL teams fought to a scoreless tie through 6.0 innings. Fresh off his ACL Pitcher of the Week award, RHSP Luis Gamez pitched 4.1 scoreless, hitless innings. He did not walk a batter, and of the 13 outs he recorded, 11 were strikeouts. That is domination. Gamez is a 19 year old from Mexico.
RHRP Josehp Marte pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings. He allowed 1 hit and struck out 2.
ACL White Sox scored an unearned run in the 7th inning to take a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 7th, with one out, 3B Elias Medina hit a game tying HR (3). LF Abel Lorenzo singled and 2B Reyli Mariano drew a BB. SS Sam Mongelli then hit a walkoff 3-run HR for thew win.
NO ACL Dodger had more than 1 hit.
DSL LAD Bautista 13 – DSL Astros Blue 11
DSL LAD Bautista sent 19 batters to the plate in the 1st inning and scored all 13 runs.
- BB – 10
- HBP – 1
- Singles – 2
- Doubles – 2
- Triples – 1
- Balk – 1
C Oliver Chapman had a 2 run double (4).
DH Fran-Jean Haseth had a 2 run double (6).
LF Willy Bergolla had a 2 run triple (2).
DSL Astros Blue scored 5 in the 3rd and 6 in the 7th.
DSL LAD Bautista did not get a hit after the first inning. They did get 1 HBP and 6 BB.
DSL LAD Mega 9 – DSL Royals Fortuna 0 – 7 innings
DSL LAD Mega scored in four straight innings, beginning with the 2nd.
In the 2nd, after a batter reached base on an error, and a 2nd was HBP, the pitcher unleashed a WP putting runners on 2nd and 3rd. C Jose Rivas singled to score both runners.
In the 3rd, with one out, CF Helvin Mendoza doubled (3) and scored on 2B Hendry Arvelo’s single. Arvelo scored when Erny Orellana reached 2nd on a fielding error. A RBI single by 3B Juan Macero scored the 3rd run of the inning.
With one out in the 4th, the batter reached on a BB. SS Antoni Urena doubled (3) and the next batter drew a BB to load the bases. Two runs scored on two WP.
In the 5th, Macero doubled (3). Two BB loaded the bases and a SF brought home Macero.
After a scoreless 6th, DSL LAD Mega got one more in the 7th. 2 singles put runners on 1st and 3rd. The lead runner scored on a PB.
- RHSP Gregg Ferrera pitched 4.0 scoreless innings on 2 hits, 2 BB, and 6 K.
- RHRP Micheal Morfe pitched 2.0 scoreless innings with no hits and 3 BB.
- RHRP Albert Feliz pitched a scoreless 7th. He allowed 1 hit and 2 BB to go with striking out the side.
Macero and Rivas had two hits
Agustin Acosta, ACL Player of the Week
Fresh off of an IL stint, Acosta showed just what he can do outside of the Dominican Summer League. He played five games last week, hitting a homer and driving in eight runs. He went 10-for-18 during that stretch, as his OPS on the season climbed to 1.185.
Luis Gamez, ACL
Gamez only pitched once for the ACL Dodgers last week, but he made the most of his sole appearance.
Through 4.2 innings pitched, Gamez only allowed three walks while striking out 11 batters to lower his season ERA to 3.52. He had a fantastic month of June, posting a 2.12 ERA through 17 innings pitched.
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (127)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Go get Skubal.
Stack the deck, it is no sure thing Glas and Snell will be back 100% for playoffs.
Yamamoto, Skubal, Ohtani and one of Glas and Snell.
How many times does a team get the chance to 3 peat….
Prospects are cool, Parades are cooler….
Hard to believe that was the first inning game the Dodgers have played in this year. I sure like the young core of the Rockies. They sure could resemble the Blake Street Bombers in a couple years where they just mash the ball and try to outscore you. They will always have pitching issues and attracting free agents.
Mark and others have stated the obvious that this teams superstars are starting to age so it got me thinking of who is the next big bat the Dodgers will acquire. Yes I know the current labor mess will definitely be a factor.
Betts was traded for, Freeman and Ohtani were signed as free agents. Who could be that next superstar? This is purely speculation and this is where Bradley excelled at with his crazy trade ideas but how about Junior Caminero. Kid is a stud and is only 23 years old. I have no idea of his contract status and how long he is under control. I am just throwing a name out there for the sake of conversation. We have a history of trading with the Rays so never say never.
Baseball America just released their Mid-Season Farm Rankings:
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Washington Nationals
5. Seattle Mariners
29. Philadelphia Phillies
30. San Diego Padres
An absolutely awesome piece in The Athletic on Max Muncy and the mental part of the game: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7424573/2026/07/06/dodgers-max-muncy-mental-skills-coach/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=147501&source=dailyemail&success_message=Login+successful
Like Yogi said, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
On aggressive teams (undisciplined, too) like the Rockies, Tanner Scott can get lit up because he is typically in the strike zone. Soon, there will be Phillips, Diaz, and Scott. Remember when many wanted Henriquez and Klien gone? Me neither! 😉
Who is the calm, collected guy who replaced Rushing behind the dish? Actually the same person, just a different version. Rushing has transformed into solid, dependable and as of last night, heroic. The attitude adjustment is a game changer for him. He still has the fire but he didn’t take the bait when the runner got into his face at home. He is quickly transforming from a backup to an equal. Smitty may not be the same guy he was and Rushing is steadily filling the gap, not as a replacement, but as part of the best catching tandem in baseball.
Clearly, this team is great… and aging. The farm system is stacked. The Dodgers will almost certainly trade some prospect collateral – the question only remains: When and Who… not IF.
I too am rooting for Freeland but that strike out rate and no slug won’t fly.
Looks like both the Angels and the A’s will be in sell mode come the deadline. Mike Trout has a full no-trade in his contract and won’t waive it. Mozeliak won’t discuss moving controllable players. But he has several on expiring contracts who could be trade fodder, including Soler, d’Arnaud, Yates, Moncada, Frazier and Brent Suter.
Scott was due to have a stinker. No biggie. Rockies have some exciting new talent on the team. Good for Rushing to get the game winning hit.
3-0 and he swings at that. Stupid!
Dope fiend
Well, Id say there’s a better chance of the Dodgers trading for Skubal, and that ain’t gonna happen either.