‘Thank the Baseball Gods’: Dodgers Fans React as Hyeseong Kim Wins Roster Battle Over Alex Freeland

Apr 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Given that performance, it’s no surprise so many Dodgers fans are excited about Kim remaining in the majors.

“Hyeseong is safe. Thank the baseball gods,” wrote @wettyfap666.

“Freeland’s glove will be missed but HS Kim’s bat is more consistent and Espinal can play 3rd giving Muncy rest,” wrote @eaner0919.

“Good choice. Freeland needs more reps in the minors. His bat is not big league ready yet,” added @whosjayce__.

That commenter makes a good point, as Freeland is slashing .235/.309/.337/.646 this season.

Other fans, though, were a bit more even-keeled, specially given that it was Freeland, not Espinal, who is being sent down.

What about Santiago Espinal?

“Happy that Kim is staying but it should’ve been Espinal (respectfully) Freeland has been doing good,” wrote @ssmith__1988.

“That’s an interesting move. Espinal has been so bad offensively I thought that would have been the way to go,” wrote @gonzsteve.

Espinal is hitting significantly worse than Freeland at .188/.188/.250/.438.

Yes, his batting average and on-base percentage are the same because Espinal has not been walked this season. He has, however, had some prominent strikeouts.

That led some analysts and fans to predict that Espinal will remain with the team for another couple of weeks until utility player Kike Hernandez returns to the squad.

Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain predicted that Espinal will be designated for assignment at some point. It’s just a matter of when.

“They’re going to DFA Santiago Espinal,” McKain explained. “I mean, there’s just no spot on the roster for him. And he could find a spot with another team, another opportunity somewhere else. But it’s baseball. It’s a tough business, man. It really only [has] 700 of these jobs in the world, man. It’s not an easy sport to make a living at.”