Explaining Dodgers' underwhelming Alex Freeland promotion as September rosters expand

Despite having plenty of more exciting options to choose from, the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly decided to use one of two newly-open roster spots to bring Alex Freeland back into the fold.

Dave Roberts hinted at the decision on Sunday night, after the Dodgers' series win over the Detroit Tigers, when he said he assumed whoever came up would be a left-handed bat. Jack Harris of the California Post reported Monday that No. 7 prospect James Tibbs III, a lefty, would "get the most serious consideration."

Hopes were high for Tibbs, or No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula, or any outfielder who could platoon with a struggling Teoscar Hernández, really. However, the Dodgers decided to change tacks altogether by calling up an infielder. Harris reported that Freeland's presence would allow the Dodgers to give Tommy Edman some reps in the outfield more often.

This could solve the Hernández problem in a roundabout way, if the Dodgers decide to platoon him and Edman, but it's far more likely that Edman takes over in center field on certain days and the team sticks with Hernández. It's a very Dodgers-esque move, which is to say that it's not a very interesting one.

Dodgers' decision to promote Alex Freeland makes sense, but that doesn't make it interesting

As we saw firsthand with Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers take their sweet time calling up even their highest-ranked prospects because they don't strictly need them and roster space is hard to come by. One might think that roster expansion would give them the perfect excuse to give a top prospect a tryout, but the Dodgers are almost always more inclined to stick with the devil they know.

Freeland hasn't been hitting well in Triple-A since he was last demoted in late July. He's batting .248 with a .697 OPS in August, which is hardly better than fellow lefty candidate Hyseong Kim (.245/.653 this month) and deeply inferior to Tibbs (.326/1.023).

What are the Dodgers waiting for with Tibbs? Impossible to say. As brilliant as the Dodgers are drafting and developing their homegrown talent, their major league roster construction always creates the same champagne problem: it's hard to fit the young guys.

Maybe the Dodgers are staying cautious with Tibbs because they want him as a trade option in the offseason, and bringing him up just to watch him struggle wouldn't be great for his value. Maybe they just didn't want the added work of a 40-man roster transaction.

Either way, this isn't going to be a popular decision with fans. The Dodgers' offense is still on thin ice, and it would've been a lot more exciting to see Tibbs get a chance than to watch Freeland's latest Quad-A stint.

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