Freddie Freeman got his first World Series ring last season, and now he just got a huge contract- with the team the Atlanta Braves took down in the 2021 NLCS.
Freeman signed a six-year, $162 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night, as first reported by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: Freddie Freeman has agreed to terms with the Dodgers on a six-year, $162 million deal according to @JeffPassan and me.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) March 17, 2022
The news comes one day after the Atlanta Braves acquired first baseman Matt Olson in a trade with the Oakland Athletics, and just hours after the Braves proceeded to sign Olson to an eight-year, $168 million contract extension.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Braves offered Freeman a five-year, $140 million deal, but Freeman wanted six years.
Braves are said to have offered $140M for 5 years. Freeman had been seeking at least 6 all along. Got it in LA.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 17, 2022
Heyman adds that Freeman had bigger offers, but ultimately chose to go back to his hometown to play for the Dodgers.
And there’s also the fact the Dodgers are a juggernaut, and the NL team to beat entering most seasons over the last decade. The Los Angeles lineup looks absolutely ridiculous now:
In nearly 20 years covering baseball, not sure I’ve seen a better lineup than the one the Dodgers will use this season. In some order, it’s going to be Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, Will Smith, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor and A.J. Pollock.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 17, 2022
How about this potential #Dodgers lineup? 😲 pic.twitter.com/OqtzTCzbIc
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 17, 2022
The Dodgers were projected by FanGraphs to win an MLB-best 96 games even before this move.
Freeman, 32, put together a .300/.393/.503 slash line for the Braves in 2021. He’s annually one of the best hitters in baseball, offering the rare of blend of skills to hit for a high average, hit for power, and walk nearly as much as he strikes out. In his 2020 NL MVP season, he even walked much more than he struck out: a 17.1 walk percentage compared to a 14.1 strikeout percentage.
Here’s some of the reaction to the Dodgers just becoming more unfair:
👀👀👀
— Trea Turner (@treavturner) March 17, 2022
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) March 17, 2022
— Logan Webb (@LoganWebb1053) March 17, 2022
To illustrate what the Dodgers have: Gavin Lux is still just 24, wildly talented, more than worthy of regular ABs. Depth is a key for teams at the major league and minor league levels, and Dodgers have built it. Giants, too. NL West is gonna be an awfully good time this summer.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 17, 2022
Tampa Bay made a strong push for Freeman, per sources. But once the #Dodgers got to the sixth year, it was done.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) March 17, 2022
Of the last 8 MVP winners (the 2 from each league going back to 2018)
The Dodgers have 3 of them.
Lol
— Ryan Parker (@RA_Parker) March 17, 2022
MVP winners on Dodgers’ roster:
2020: Freddie Freeman (NL)
2019: Cody Bellinger (NL)
2018: Mookie Betts (AL)
2014: Clayton Kershaw (NL)— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) March 17, 2022
https://twitter.com/russbengtson/status/1504311051101347840
Frederick of "Hollywood"
— Bryan Kephart (@thundercrat) March 17, 2022
