The postseason starts in less than three weeks, and two players may not feature on the Dodgers’ postseason roster for their three-peat pursuit.
According to Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain, two players on the 40-man roster have “zero chance” of making the postseason roster.
“Both are literally not going to be on the roster for the postseason, literally zero chance,” he said.
On an episode of Dodgers Dugout Live, McKain broke down the decision to promote Alex Freeland amid his lackluster offensive production and compared him to Hyeseong Kim.
McKain explained the Dodgers’ thinking behind giving Freeland a chance while keeping Kim in Triple-A.
He cited Freeland’s better plate discipline and younger age, but as commentators fought back and made the case for Kim, McKain made it clear that the argument is pointless.
The Dodgers expert thinks neither will be on the postseason roster once Andy Pages comes back from the injured list.
Currently, Freeland is with the Dodgers as Tommy Edman plays in the outfield, but he is the candidate to be sent back down.
Kim has been cutting his teeth in Triple-A for months, though things have not gone well.
How Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim Compare
He is hitting .268/.336/.352 on the whole in Triple-A. His weighted on-base average of .320 is well below average. His wRC+ is 80.
He strikes out 25.4% of the time, and walks just 9.4%, both of which are towards the bottom.
Examining his poor hitting profile, especially for a Dodgers team that values a player who gets on base, makes it tough for Kim to break through.
“I love Hyeseong Kim, but until he proves that he can hit, he is not going to get that opportunity,” McKain explained.
Freeland, on the other hand, was hitting .259/.357/.430 with a 13.25% walk rate and a 19.8% strikeout rate down in Triple-A.
Since joining the Dodgers, he is hitting just .222/.310/.302. His production is uninspiring, leaving the argument for Kim more open than expected.
Kim can play outfield and infield, has elite speed, and even if his on-base is concerning, he offers more as a depth piece than someone like Alex Call.
However, as McKain highlights, trends point to neither Kim nor Freeland having much of a role in the playoffs unless the roster doesn’t stay healthy and an opportunity opens up.
