Mookie Betts Is Coming Back and the Dodgers Have to Cut Someone: Here's the Math

Mookie Betts is heading back to the Dodgers' lineup any day now, and Los Angeles faces a brutal decision. To make room for their star shortstop on Monday, the Dodgers are going to have to send somebody down, and there's no clean answer.

Three guys are sweating it out: Alex Freeland, Hyeseong Kim, and Santiago Espinal. One of them is leaving. The question is which one makes the most sense, and manager Dave Roberts isn't hiding the fact that this one stings.

Alex Freeland Made This Harder Than It Should Be

Freeland came into 2026 with the Opening Day roster, and early on it looked like a clear mistake. He was overmatched at the plate during the early stretch, hitting just .235/.309/.337 with 32 strikeouts in 112 plate appearances. Not great.

But then something shifted. Over his last 16 games, Freeland is slashing .277/.370/.383. The guy actually turned it around.

As a switch-hitter with experience at shortstop, second base, and third base, Freeland brings versatility the Dodgers value. "It's a good problem in the sense of where we're at," Roberts admitted. "But it's a potential tough conversation." He wasn't wrong. Two weeks ago this was a no-brainer. Today? Not so much.

Hyeseong Kim Is Playing Too Well to Ignore

Kim started the year down in Triple-A Oklahoma City, then got called up and has been legitimately impressive. Through 86 plate appearances with L.A., he's at .289/.353/.395 with just 18 strikeouts. Roberts has been impressed with Kim's development, particularly his improved plate discipline.

"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 to balls at the top, spin down below. He's done a much better job of managing that."

Kim has been splitting time with Miguel Rojas at shortstop, and there's already talk about the two becoming a platoon at second base once Betts slots in. It would be shocking if the Dodgers bail on Kim right now, especially when he's finally playing like he belongs.

The Santiago Espinal Case: Logic Meets Roster Reality

On paper, Espinal is the easy cut. He's hitting .188/.188/.250 with no walks and five strikeouts in just 34 plate appearances. The numbers are brutal, and he's seen the least action of the three.

But here's the twist: sending him down might actually hurt Freeland and Kim's development. Both guys are still building, and they primarily hit against right-handed pitchers. If Betts returns and both stay on the roster, they'd be splitting an already tiny pile of plate appearances. Getting one of them consistent at-bats in the minors might be better than them riding the bench in L.A.

Espinal's right-handed bat and utility versatility fill gaps while Kiké Hernández remains on the 60-day injured list, which won't clear until May 24. Once Hernández comes back, Espinal's role becomes redundant anyway.

Roberts summed up the complexity perfectly: "Who's going to get the lion's share of playing time, how much is Mookie going to play, the value of somebody going to the Minors and playing more vs. having some optionality with the roster. Opponent, off-days potentially and how much depth you need. So there's a lot of different ways you can go about it."

One thing's for sure: somebody's getting the call, and it's going to sting no matter who it is.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.