Dodgers rookie running out of time to make Opening Day roster as struggles continue

It only took seven games for the Dodgers to go all-in on Santiago Espinal. Espinal is hitting like a maniac — .625 with a 1.761 OPS so far — but it can't be making top prospect Alex Freeland feel all that great.

Freeland is still in the running, and with Hyeseong Kim away at the World Baseball Classic, he's getting more opportunities at second base in Glendale. It hasn't exactly been going well, though. While Freeland is living up to the hype about advanced plate discipline, walking is basically the only way he's getting on base. Since Kim left for the WBC, Freeland is 1-for-12 with four walks to two strikeouts.

Sure, we'll always take a walk over an out, but Freeland just needs to start hitting. He's sitting at zero homers and four RBI in nine games, to one homer and five RBI in four games for Kim and two homers and eight RBI in seven for Espinal.

We're still a little ways away from Opening Day, but time's running out for Freeland to make an impression and a real push to make it onto the roster.

Alex Freeland is falling behind in the Dodgers' 2B battle as Santiago Espinal continues to impress

Dave Roberts has still been complimentary of the top prospect, saying that he's seen a lot of "maturity" from Freeland. "Playing both sides of the baseball really well. The bat, right-handed looks really good. Lefty is typically his strong side, but I like the right-handed at-bats," he said. "Just playing with a lot of real confidence."

Freeland also has MVP Mookie Betts in his corner, with Betts having taken on a lowkey mentorship role last season. He's been spotted advising Freeland one-on-one at Camelback.

And the fact that the Dodgers haven't been set on Kim — for whatever reason — could play in Freeland's favor. Even though they're paying the KBO veteran a guaranteed $4.08 million salary this season, they're still willing to send him down to the minors to start the season.

So hope is far from lost for the Dodgers' No. 8 prospect. The patience at the plate is a huge plus, but he actually needs to start getting the bat to the ball. He has a little less than two weeks to make something real happen if he wants to make an impression and has a shot at a fully-fledged rookie season.