Dodgers Insider Suggests Order Change to Fix Batting Woes; Freddie Freeman to Start Over Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a juggernaut. But even juggernauts have chinks in their armor, and lately, it’s been at the top of their batting order. Here’s a look at a recent conversation between DodgerBlue.com editors Matthew Moreno and Blake Williams that has sparked a fiery debate among fans: Should the Boys in Blue shake up their lineup by promoting Freddie Freeman over Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani?

The discussion stemmed from Ohtani’s historic achievement—surpassing Hideki Matsui for the most home runs by a Japanese-born player in MLB history. However, Williams cleverly pointed out that, while Ohtani’s overall stats are impressive, his struggles with runners in scoring positions remain a concern. 

This then led Moreno to transition the conversation to the recent batting woes experienced by the top of the Dodgers’ lineup. That includes Freddie Freeman’s unusual three-game hitless streak.

Here’s where things get interesting. While acknowledging the struggles, Williams firmly believes that a lineup change isn’t the answer. “I wouldn’t make any changes to it at this point,” he stated. He reasons that these are just individual hiccups and that Freeman’s slump was likely mechanical—not lineup-related.

An intriguing suggestion did emerge, however, with Williams proposing that the Dodgers consider moving up Teoscar Hernández “a little more consistently” to capitalize on his current hot streak. As for a more drastic change, he floated the idea of bumping Will Smith to the number three spot with Freddie Freeman batting cleanup, aiming for a better balance between lefties and righties.

The insiders believe that the current struggles are just a bump in the road for a team with immense talent. However, the suggestion of promoting Freddie Freeman to the leadoff spot has sparked a passionate debate among fans, and it’s a conversation that’s unlikely to die down anytime soon.

Fanatics in a frenzy: Should Freddie Freeman lead the charge?

What if Freeman batted leadoff, followed by Betts and Ohtani? This suggestion, originally proposed by Moreno during the offseason, has gained traction with some fans on social media.

While Williams acknowledges the potential benefits of a power hitter like Ohtani leading off, he doesn’t see it happening. He highlights the unlikelihood of Dave Roberts displacing the ever-reliable Mookie Betts, who himself is having a solid season.

However, some fans are voicing their discontent with the “traditional” leadoff hitter mold, favoring a more aggressive approach with a top-two that boasts both power and speed—qualities Ohtani possesses in abundance. They point to Ohtani’s success hitting leadoff for the Los Angeles Angels at times, showcasing his well-rounded skill set. This approach, some might argue, could maximize offensive potential and spark rallies early in games.

Ultimately, the decision rests with Roberts. While the current lineup might not be firing on all cylinders at the moment, Williams believes they’ll find their groove. They just need to get all three hitters—Betts, Freeman, and Ohtani—clicking at the same time. After all, as Williams puts it, “if none of them are really hitting, then they’re probably not going to win many games, and that’s kind of what we saw over the last week now, I know.” Will Roberts stick with the tried-and-true lineup, or will he consider shaking things up to ignite a spark? Only time will tell.