Behind The Guardians Decision To Option Tyler Freeman
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Roster moves are never easier.
They're even harder when a team has to option a player who is clearly ready to play consistently at the Big League level. This is the exact situation the Cleveland Guardians found themselves in when they decided to option Tyler Freeman to Triple-A for the start of the 2023 season.
Freeman had been itching to make the MLB roster for a few years now and that finally happened in 2022 as he was one of the 17 players to make their debuts last season.
He appeared in 24 games for the Guardians in the closing months of the season and had a batting average of .247 and an OBP of .314 over 86 plate appearances. Freeman also showed off some great defensive potential in the infield as well.
Those numbers aren't terrible, but there's obviously room for improvement. But it was time to give Freeman a chance at the highest level after he tore up the Minor League by slashing .279/.371/.735 at Triple-A in 2022.
That brings us to the 2023 Spring Training where Freeman has been struggling quite a bit. He's received 34 plate appearances so far in the Cactus League and only has five hits. However, he does have three RBI and isn't striking out at an egregious rate.
But even if Freeman was batting .300 with a .600 OPS it still may not have been enough to make the Opening Day roster. This is because of the Guardians' surplus of middle infielders and how well they've also been playing.
There was really only one spot available on the bench for either Freeman or Gabriel Arias, and Arias has snatched that spot as his own.
At this point, it's better for Tyler to get consistent playing time in Columbus than sitting on the bench at the Big League level and playing one or twice a week for a handful of innings.
The best thing he can do is stay ready because narratives can change quickly in baseball.
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