“I think that he’s done a much better job of controlling the strike zone,” Roberts said. “I think that’s something that we felt he could be exposed by balls at the top (of the strike zone), spin down below. He’s done a much better job of managing that, I think, so that’s probably the biggest thing.
“He’s got the ability to put the bat on the ball, get hits, steal bases, play good defense. And I think he’s done all that. I think for me, just the plate discipline piece has been much better.”
The Dodgers included an advanced consent clause in that deal, per multiple league sources, a provision that permits a team to release a player within the first 45 days of a contract without paying the remainder of the player’s owed salary. According to those sources, that deal was restructured and the deadline extended.
That would indicate that the Dodgers are planning to keep Espinal, at least for now, leaving the decision down to Freeland or Kim.