The sheer talent on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster is the envy of many teams throughout MLB, with names like Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani just the tip of the iceberg.
Between the two, Freeman has been with the Dodgers for longer and has more seasons in the Majors.
In fact, Freeman has become the elder statesman in the Dodgers clubhouse following Clayton Kershaw’s retirement this past season. The 2026 season will be the 36-year-old’s 17th MLB season and fifth with the Dodgers.
Manager Dave Roberts said that Freeman is a player that Ohtani admires for a variety of reasons, via MLB.com:
“Not awe struck, but I think Freddie Freeman is his guy. And I say that because the way Freddie posts every day. I think that Freddie has created a culture. Shohei is a guy that wants to post. After 18 innings, getting on base nine times, I gave him an out to not start the next day, he wasn’t ever going to take it. He plays every game. So I think that Freddie Freeman is the guy.”
Roberts also mentioned Aaron Judge as a player Ohtani respects.
When it comes to emulating character and work ethic, the choice doesn’t get much better than Freeman. The future Hall of Famer has shown remarkable longevity, still playing at an elite level last season with the 10th-highest wRC+ in MLB.
The importance of Freeman’s influence in the clubhouse cannot be overstated. The drive to play every game will hopefully continue to be passed down through Ohtani to future generations in the Dodgers organization.
Freeman has two seasons remaining on the six-year, $162 million contract he signed with the Dodgers in 2022.
Freddie Freeman’s most interesting conversations
Freeman knows very well that the experience of playing first base in MLB is unique because of the ease players can have a conversation with members of the opposing team during the game.
The 16-year veteran has had countless conversations while on defense and as a baserunner, but it was his experiences with former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto that stand out the most.
One of the most memorable interactions he had with Votto was during his second full season in the Majors.
