The Dodgers land the longtime Atlanta Braves first baseman, making the Orange County native the fourth former league MVP winner on their roster.
First, you beat ’em. Then you join ’em.
The Giants finished a game ahead of the Dodgers last year to win the NL West with MLB’s best record, but fell to Los Angeles in a five-game NL Wild Card series. This move solidifies the Dodgers’ effort to take back the division crown, which they’d won the eight previous seasons. The Braves’ trade for Olson increased speculation about Freeman’s market with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres linked with the free agent to varying degrees. The Dodgers, however, always remained at the front of the pack, leveraging their financial muscle and the chance for Freeman to return to Southern California. Their willingness to add a sixth year appears to have sealed the deal.
Adding Freeman gives the Dodgers an even more imposing lineup that now includes Betts, Trea Turner, Freeman, Max Muncy, Will Smith, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, A.J. Pollock and Bellinger. The lineup already was among the National League’s best last year with 237 home runs and 5.12 runs per game to go with 612 walks and an OPS of .759.
Muncy was sidelined for the entire postseason last year after sustaining an elbow injury in a collision at first on the last day of the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts has said Muncy should be available for Opening Day on April 8, but he’s unsure whether Muncy will be ready to start at first. Since then, Freeman had been a stalwart in the Braves’ lineup, even as the perennial playoff contender went through a painful rebuilding job after winning the NL East title in 2013.