When the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman to a six-year contract worth $162 million, they knew the caliber of player they were getting. Not only is Freeman a model of consistency, he’s one of baseball’s best run-producing hitters.
That’s played out at times this year, but Freeman has also gone through lulls at the plate. After the Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out against the San Francisco Giants this past Sunday, Freeman stepped into the batter’s box and figured to at least drive in one run.
He worked a full count but uncharacteristically chased a fastball outside of the zone to strike out. Trea Turner promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the threat, and the Dodgers went on to get swept at Oracle Park.
Freeman is in an elite tier when working a count with traffic on the bases, but has some drop off with no one on. Freeman attributed the contrast to putting pressure on himself when the bases are empty, per Mike Petriello of MLB.com:
“I think it just helps with guys on base and the shift, because all I’m trying to do is keep the line moving,” he said. “Maybe when there’s nobody on base, I subconsciously try to do a little too much. When Mookie [Betts] starts hitting or Gavin [Lux] in the nine-hole starts hitting, all you want to do is keep the line moving, that’s all I’m trying to do.
“With guys on base, I’m really just trying to put the ball in play,” Freeman pointed out, “even if it’s a routine ground ball. Things can go wrong in the infield. That’s just kind of been the process for me through my career, is just trying to reduce strikeouts as much as I possibly can.”
Freeman has a 1.108 on-base plus slugging percentage this season with at least one runner on base. However, that drops to a .608 OPS with the bases empty.
On the season, Freeman is batting .286 with five home runs and 34 RBI, but in the last 30 games has seen his on-base percentage dip to .370, which would be his lowest mark since his 2015 season with the Atlanta Braves.
Freeman’s month of May was wildly successful with a .306/.405/.486 batting line that resembled more of what to expect from the All-Star first baseman. It also coincides with the incredible month from Mookie Betts, who put up eye-popping numbers to tie or set Dodgers franchise records.
Betts has fallen into a bit of a slump, and as a result, Freeman hasn’t been given as many opportunities to hit with runners on.
Dodgers looking to rest Freeman
Entering Friday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians, Freeman and Turner are the only players to have been in the Dodgers’ lineup every game this season.
While manager Dave Roberts can appreciate and respect their desire to start each day, he acknowledged there’s a need to soon provide at least Freeman with one game of rest.
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