Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman's Great Season Worthy of More Attention
Freddie Freeman is currently having his best year since 2013, which is a big positive for a last-place Atlanta Braves team.
With a record of 63-92, the Atlanta Braves are currently the worst team in the National League. While it is true that there hasn’t been too much to cheer about, Freddie Freeman has certainly been one of the major bright spots for this club.
Freeman, a second-round draft pick back in 2007, made his MLB debut in 2010. After putting together a pair of solid seasons in 2011 and 2012, he broke out in a big way the following year, hitting .319/.396/.501 (147 OPS+) with 23 homers and 109 RBI in a 5.0 fWAR campaign.
His numbers that season earned him a fifth-place finish in the NL MVP voting. He was rewarded with an eight-year, $135 million extension the following February.
While Freeman performed well in his first two seasons after signing his new deal, the numbers weren’t quite on par with those of his 2013 campaign. It is also worth noting that he battled a lingering wrist injury last season and was limited to only 118 games.
Now, with only one week left to go in the 2016 campaign, Freeman has MVP-caliber numbers once again. Through 152 games, Freeman has hit .305/.402/.570 (158 OPS+) with 32 homers and 87 RBI. His OPS+ is tied for first in the NL and his 154 wRC+ is tied for second. His current 28-game hitting streak is the second longest in MLB this season, trailing only Jackie Bradley Jr.’s 29-gamer.
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Freeman’s defense should not go without mention either. His nine defensive runs saved are tied for second among all first basemen in the game.
Overall, there is an argument to be made that Freeman is having the best season of any first baseman in either league. His 6.0 fWAR leads all first basemen in baseball, with Anthony Rizzo being his closest competitor at 4.9 fWAR.
It is also worth taking a look at how the arrival of Matt Kemp may have impacted Freeman. Since August 2, Kemp’s first game as a Brave, Freeman has slashed .354/.475/.697 with 14 homers. Over this time span, he has raised his batting average by 25 points for the season (.280 to .305).
Freeman has primarily been a No. 3 hitter. Prior to Kemp coming aboard, the Braves used players such as Adonis Garcia and Nick Markakis in the cleanup spot. Garcia has some pop, but he seems to have found a nice home in the two-hole. Markakis is still a productive hitter, but his power isn’t what it was during his younger days with the Baltimore Orioles. Both players may have provided good but not necessarily great protection.
Kemp, on the other hand, is someone who has now hit 33 home runs in his own right this season. He has given interim manager Brian Snitker a legit power threat to pencil in behind his star first basemen.
From a win-loss perspective, it hasn’t been a fun season to be a Braves fan. That said, Freeman and Kemp are signed through 2021 and 2019, respectively. With that duo, there is hope for the future.
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