Imagine Clayton Kershaw making 30+ starts in a season, becoming a free agent, wanting to return to LA Now, imagine the Dodgers’ failing to make him a competitive offer, trading for a younger pitcher instead. That basically happened to Freddie Freeman
Now, imagine the Dodgers’ decision makers failing to make him a competitive offer. Imagine them trading for a younger and less expensive pitcher instead.There’s a franchise more ruthless than Andrew Friedman’s Dodgers and it’s Anthopoulos’ Atlanta Braves.The Braves make the number crunchers in the Dodgers’ front office look like baseball romantics by comparison, industry insiders questioning the sincerity of Anthopoulos’ tears after Matt Olson was acquired to replace Freeman.
The Braves and their overlords at Liberty Media refused to divert any of their $100-million profit from last year to their longtime model employee and the Dodgers are now the favorites to win their second World Series in three seasons because of it.Former Atlanta Braves first baseman and 2020 National League MVP Freddie Freeman has agreed to a six-year contract with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers don’t sign Freeman and they would have to rely on Max Muncy, who is recovering from an elbow injury that sidelined him in the postseason. They don’t sign Freeman and they have to count on the inconsistent Cody Bellinger to produce. He’s hit 20 or more home runs in eight separate seasons, including a career-high 38 in 2019. He’s batted .305 over the last six seasons, a period over which he has averaged 33 home runs and 103 RBIs for 162 games.