{"id":4646,"date":"2026-05-11T15:54:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T15:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=4646"},"modified":"2026-05-11T15:54:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T15:54:39","slug":"dodgers-infield-dynamics-will-change-with-mookie-betts-return-on-monday-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=4646","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers\u2019 infield dynamics will change with Mookie Betts\u2019 return on Monday"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

LOS ANGELES \u2014 The Dodgers will welcome shortstop Mookie Betts back on Monday.<\/p>\n

But Betts\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Read more Ducks know better is needed in Game 4 versus Golden Knights<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, we\u2019ve got a tough decision,\u201d Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Sunday\u2019s game against the Atlanta Braves. \u201cAll of the options, potentially for the corresponding move \u2013 these guys have done a great job and served a very good purpose for our club. It\u2019s a good problem in the sense of where we\u2019re at. But it\u2019s a potential tough conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeland and Espinal made the Dodgers\u2019 season-opening roster with Kim sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Freeland has started 31 of the Dodgers\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

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 batting average into Sunday\u2019s game with five stolen bases in six attempts.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like every time he gets out there, he does something to help us win,\u201d Roberts said of Kim shortly after his promotion.<\/p>\n

That \u201cabsolutely\u201d still applies, Roberts said Sunday as Betts\u2019 return will change the dynamics in the middle of the infield.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could make a case for all the guys we\u2019re considering,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cBut that is the point, to help us win.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The Dodgers asked Kim to make significant changes to his swing when he made the jump from South Korea before the 2025 season. Roberts said he can see the progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that he\u2019s done a much better job of controlling the strike zone,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI think that\u2019s something that we felt he could be exposed by balls at the top (of the strike zone), spin down below. He\u2019s done a much better job of managing that, I think, so that\u2019s probably the biggest thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got the ability to put the bat on the ball, get hits, steal bases, play good defense. And I think he\u2019s done all that. I think for me, just the plate discipline piece has been much better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Ducks turn to Mason McTavish to aid powerless power play<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

TEO SLUMP<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Teoscar Hernandez was not in the starting lineup for Sunday\u2019s game. Roberts said it was \u201cjust a day off\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do see certainly his timing is off,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI think one thing is he hasn\u2019t hit lefties like he has in the past. That\u2019s one thing. He\u2019s certainly missing pitches that he should hit. He\u2019s fouling them off whether they\u2019re spin or fastballs. I think he\u2019s a little too passive at times, getting behind a lot early. It\u2019s hard to hit 0-1. So I think the mechanical piece, the approach piece, there\u2019s things that I know he\u2019s trying to figure out.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlex has earned more playing time, yeah,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

FRESH ARM<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Dodgers added a fresh arm to the bullpen on 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.<\/p>\n

Mills had a 3.26 ERA in 14 appearances for OKC this season. When Mills entered in the ninth inning of Sunday\u2019s game, it was his first MLB action 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.<\/p>\n

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 sometime in the second half of the season.<\/p>\n

UP NEXT<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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<\/p>\n

Read more Alexander: Roster decisions might have been key to Ducks\u2019 Game 4 win<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Betts will be activated from the IL on Monday. Playing time will be harder to come by for Hyeseong Kim, Alex Freeland and Santiago Espinal and one could be bumped from the roster by Betts\u2019 return.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3957,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-facts","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nDodgers\u2019 infield dynamics will change with Mookie Betts\u2019 return on Monday - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=4646\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dodgers\u2019 infield dynamics will change with Mookie Betts\u2019 return on Monday - Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Betts will be activated from the IL on Monday. 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