Exhale Dodger fans – Freddie Freeman has finally agreed to a deal that will bring him to Chavez Ravine for the next 6 years. The deal is reportedly worth $162 million, sources told ESPN.
The 32-year-old National League MVP has made appearances in five All Star games and just finished helping the Atlanta Braves win their fourth consecutive National League East title and first World Series Championship since 1995.
Freeman has been a cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves franchise for fifteen years and has finished in the top 10 of MVP candidates for the last 4 years. His contract expired at the close of last season, and while the Braves extended a qualifying offer of $18.4 million, he opted to reject the offer and explore free agency.
It goes without saying that bringing in Freddie Freeman to an already stacked Dodgers squad boosts the club’s chances of winning another World Series. Los Angeles was eliminated by Freeman and the Braves in six games in last year’s NLCS.
A much-needed left-handed bat joins an already stacked Dodgers lineup that lost Corey Seager to the Texas Rangers. Freeman will play alongside former MVP’s Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger, in addition to Trea Turner, Max Muncy and Justin Turner. He adds more to a lineup that was already among the National League’s best last year with 237 home runs, 5.12 runs per game, 612 walks and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .759.
Last season alone, Freeman hit .300 with 31 home runs, 83 runs batted in, and led the National League with 120 runs scored.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel first reported the deal struck between the Dodgers and Freeman last night (March 16th).