The Los Angeles Dodgers lost two big free agents in Max Scherzer and Corey Seager prior to the MLB lockout, so once a new collective bargaining agreement is in place, they will have a lot of work to do to replace them.
Freddie Freeman is among the top position players still available on the open market, and the Dodgers reportedly are one of the interested teams.
Although most have assumed Freeman was a lock to re-sign with the Atlanta Braves and spend his entire career there, he did not reach an agreement with them because they were unwilling to offer him a sixth year in a contract.
The Braves didn’t even offer Freeman a contract prior to the lockout, which caused him to become frustrated and could ultimately lead to him finding a new home, according to David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports Radio:
“The Dodgers have now pivoted towards Orange County’s own Freddie Freeman. They are engaged in talks right now. What makes this all the more interesting is that Freddie Freeman, from my understanding of people close to him, he has grown very impatient with the Atlanta Braves. Because the Atlanta Braves were taking the strategy of waiting to see where the market goes before offering him a contract.
“So to my knowledge, the Braves still have not formally offered Freddie Freeman any sort of free agent contract, which has made him grown impatient. And when a door closes, there’s another one that opens, and Andrew Friedman usually steps right through it.”
If the Dodgers sign Freeman, it would allow Muncy to play second base while Trea Turner slides back to his natural position at shortstop.
The 32-year-old has been among the most consistent superstars in baseball over the last decade, hitting .295/.384/.509 with a 138 wRC+ in 1565 career games.
In 2020, Freeman was named the National League Most Valuable Player for hitting .341/.462/.640 with 13 home runs and a 186 wRC+ in 60 games played during the pandemic-shortened season.
This past season, Freeman got off to a slow start by his standards but finished the year with a .300/.393/.503 slash line to go along with 31 home runs and a 135 wRC+.
If not Freeman, Correa?
As the Dodgers look to replace Corey Seager in their lineup, they are among the teams who have been reported to show interest in Carlos Correa.
The 27-year-old is expected to receive a contract in the same ballpark as Seager and the signing team would be required to give up draft compensation to the Houston Astros because he rejected the $18.4 million qualifying offer for the 2022 season.
MLB Insider Jon Heyman went as far to say Correa’s decision might ultimately come between returning to Houston or joining L.A.
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