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Dave Roberts has moved Freddie Freeman into the No. 2 spot in the Dodgers’ batting order, slotting him directly behind Shohei Ohtani in Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals, per Dodger Blue. Roberts described the change as part of creating “more urgency” in the lineup — a telling choice of words from a manager who typically plays things close to the vest. The No. 2 hole has been a revolving door all season, and this is the latest attempt to find a configuration that sticks.

Freeman is one of the most consistent left-handed hitters of his generation. The former MVP won a batting title with Atlanta in 2020, helped lead the Braves to a World Series championship in 2021, and then signed with the Dodgers ahead of the 2022 season. He was instrumental in our 2024 championship run, delivering one of the most iconic World Series performances in recent memory — including a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 that still gives me chills. At 36, Freeman remains a professional hitter in every sense. His ability to work counts, get on base, and drive the ball to all fields makes him a natural fit to bat near the top of the order. Moving him to the two-hole puts one of our best pure hitters in position to see more at-bats and, critically, to hit with Ohtani on base more often.

Ohtani, of course, has been the Dodgers’ leadoff man and offensive engine all year. His on-base ability at the top of the lineup creates constant opportunities for whoever bats behind him, and the club has been searching for the right person to capitalize on those opportunities. We’ve seen a parade of names cycle through the No. 2 spot this season — none of them solving the problem for long. Pairing Freeman directly behind Ohtani gives Roberts two of the best plate discipline guys in baseball back-to-back, which should put more pressure on opposing pitchers right from the jump.

The “more urgency” framing from Roberts is interesting and I think deliberate. This isn’t a club that’s been firing on all cylinders offensively, and the manager clearly feels like the lineup construction needed a jolt. Moving your franchise first baseman up in the order isn’t a panic move — it’s a recognition that the status quo wasn’t producing. Freeman batting second means he’ll likely get a handful of extra plate appearances per week, and it pushes other hitters down a spot, which reshuffles the protection dynamics throughout the order.

I like this move. Freeman hitting behind Ohtani is something a lot of us have been wanting to see more consistently. Whether it becomes a permanent arrangement depends on results, but the logic is sound. You want your best hitters getting the most at-bats in the highest-leverage spots, and Freeman-behind-Ohtani checks both boxes. If this is Roberts acknowledging that the lineup needed a shake-up, good — because it did.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 12, 2026 2:15 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers