LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers will welcome Mookie Betts back on Monday.
But Betts’ return from an oblique injury will recreate the spring competition among Hyeseong Kim, Alex Freeland and utilityman Santiago Espinal. One of the three will likely have to go in order to clear a spot for Betts.
“Obviously we’ve got a tough decision,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “All of the options, potentially for the corresponding move – these guys have done a great job and served a very good purpose for our club. It’s a good problem in the sense of where we’re at. But it’s a potential tough conversation.”
Freeland and Espinal made the Dodgers season-opening roster with Kim sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Freeland has started 31 of the Dodgers’ first 40 games at second base, batting .245 with a .672 OPS. In 13 games before Sunday, however, he was 11 for 36 (.306) with two doubles and a home run.
The odd man out when the season started, Kim was promoted from Triple-A when Betts went on the Injured List and has started 24 games at shortstop in his absence. Kim took a .301 average into Sunday’s game with five stolen bases in six attempts.
“It seems like every time he gets out there, he does something to help us win,” Roberts said of Kim shortly after his promotion.
That “absolutely” still applies, Roberts said Sunday as Betts’ return will change the dynamics in the middle of the infield.
“I could make a case for all the guys we’re considering,” Roberts said. “But that is the point, to help us win.”
The Dodgers asked Kim to make significant changes to his swing when he made the jump from Korea before the 2025 season. Roberts said he can see the progress.
“I think that he’s done a much better job of controlling the strike zone,” Roberts said. “I think that’s something that we felt he could be exposed by balls at the top (of the strike zone), spin down below. He’s done a much better job of managing that, I think, so that’s probably the biggest thing.
“He’s got the ability to put the bat on the ball, get hits, steal bases, play good defense. And I think he’s done all that. I think for me, just the plate discipline piece has been much better.”
Even with Betts sidelined, there has not been much playing time for Espinal. He is just 6 for 32 (.188) over 20 games with just four starts at second base and three at third.
TEO SLUMP
Teoscar Hernandez was not in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves. Roberts said it was “just a day off” for Hernandez but the outfielder has not been producing offensively as much as expected this season. Hitting just .238 with a .682 OPS, Hernandez is just 10 for his past 52 (.192) with no extra-base hits and only four RBIs in his past 15 games.
“I do see certainly his timing is off,” Roberts said. “I think one thing is he hasn’t hit lefties like he has in the past. That’s one thing. He’s certainly missing pitches that he should hit. He’s fouling them off whether they’re spin or fastballs. I think he’s a little too passive at times, getting behind a lot early. It’s hard to hit 0-1. So I think the mechanical piece, the approach piece, there’s things that I know he’s trying to figure out.”
Alex Call got the start in left field Sunday and went into the game batting .333 (12 for 36) in limited playing time. Roberts acknowledged that Call could get more starts if Hernandez continues to slump.
“Alex has earned more playing time, yeah,” Roberts said.
FRESH ARM
The Dodgers added a fresh arm to the bullpen Sunday, promoting right-hander Wyatt Mills from Triple-A Oklahoma City and sending right-hander Paul Gervase back to OKC. Gervase threw 50 pitches over three innings in relief Saturday.
Mills had a 3.26 ERA in 14 appearances for OKC this season. If he gets in a major-league game, it will be his first since 2022. Mills missed all of the 2023 and 2024 seasons while recovering from elbow issues that resulted in Tommy John surgery. He made 38 appearances for the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals in 2021 and 2022 with a 6.21 ERA.
In order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Mills, the Dodgers moved Edwin Diaz to the 60-day Injured List. Diaz had surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow on April 22 and is not expected back until some time in the second half of the season.
UP NEXT
Giants (RHP Trevor McDonald, 1-0, 1.29 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Roki Sasaki, 1-3, 5.97 ERA), Monday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM