The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing back infielder Alex Freeland as Major League Baseball’s September roster expansion takes effect Tuesday. The move comes as the team navigates a recent offensive downturn.
Freeland, 25, rejoins the Dodgers for his third stint at the major league level this season. In 72 games earlier this year, he posted a .231 batting average with three home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .622 OPS. His promotion was first reported by The Athletic.
The Dodgers have struggled offensively, ranking fifth-worst in MLB in scoring and 10th-worst in OPS during a 13-14 stretch in August. The team’s outfield has been particularly affected, with Andy Pages out due to a broken hand and slumps from Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández in the corner spots.
While highly-touted outfield prospect James Tibbs III was considered a potential call-up, he is not currently on the Dodgers' 40-man roster. Tibbs, who leads the Pacific Coast League in home runs (27), RBIs (96), and OPS (.965) this season, could still be an option later in the month.
Freeland’s call-up offers a more logistically straightforward solution. He provides an additional left-handed hitting option off the bench, a need for the Dodgers during their recent struggles. His presence may also allow utilityman Tommy Edman to shift more frequently to the outfield, potentially filling the void left by Pages in center field. Edman could also serve as a left-handed platoon partner for Hernández in left field, given Hernández's difficulties against right-handed pitching.
Freeland’s major league performance has shown some improvement from his rookie season in 2025, when he hit .190 in 29 games. However, his OPS+ of 75 this season remained below league average. Since returning to Triple-A in late July, he has batted .257 with a .720 OPS in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Additional reinforcements are expected later in the month, including the return of outfielder Andy Pages from a broken hand and backup catcher Dalton Rushing from an elbow injury. Rushing is expected to be available as a left-handed pinch-hitting option, though his return to catching duties this year remains unlikely.
For now, the Dodgers are looking to Freeland to provide a spark to their offense in his latest opportunity at the major league level.