Freddie Freeman (36), a nine-time All-Star first baseman who is entering his fifth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is well known as a classic old-school player. During his time with the Atlanta Braves, he harshly scolded rookie Ronald Acuña Jr., who wore large sunglasses, wore his cap pulled down and had earrings, and after coming to the Dodgers he stamped into the lineup every game, changing the Dodgers' culture that had been accustomed to scheduled off days.
He is the strictest with himself. In an interview with The Athletic on the 27th (KST), Freeman said, "If I don't hit .300, I feel I had a poor year. I hit .331 in 2023 but I was still angry. If you ask my wife she would say, 'He was upset that he should have hit .340 but didn't.' If I hit .340 I would have been mad thinking I should have hit .350."
He added, "Unfortunately that's how my mindset is. People say, 'That's why you are who you are now,' but average is never enough for me. It's a blessing and a curse," and said, "If I hit .310 this year, I will say in next year's spring training I should have hit .320. That's the kind of person I am. I'm really hard on myself, and that might be what drives me. It sounds a little crazy, but until I take off my spikes I will feel I haven't properly done what I needed to do," describing a personality that never feels satisfied.
His obsession with batting average might seem old-fashioned. In modern baseball, where sabermetrics has developed, batting average lost much of its value long ago. Now it's more of a reference, but Freeman still clings to this old-fashioned stat. Having hit .300 exactly over 16 seasons through last year, Freeman has failed to reach .300 in each of the past two years. Last year he ranked third in the National League in batting average (.295) but was below .300.
Freeman said, "I want to hit .300 every year. I know batting average is somewhat ignored in today's game. Even if batting average isn't emphasized that much, I like hitting. I enjoy being a hitter. I prefer three singles to one home run that results in one hit in four at-bats." That said, he is neither a bad-ball hitter nor a contact-only hitter. With 367 career home runs and a .386 on-base percentage, Freeman is a complete hitter who combines accuracy, power, plate discipline and the ability to deliver in key moments.
Now in his mid-30s but continuing steady offensive production, Freeman's secret is confidence in himself. He said, "I'm pretty stubborn about my routine, approach and plan. Even if I get one hit in 20 at-bats, you won't see me do anything other than take one more round of batting practice. I never change. It's always the same routine. I don't wander trying to find something new. Other players, after getting one hit in 15 at-bats, start changing their swing and it might take one to two weeks to get used to that swing. I believe in myself and in me as a player, so I know I can get out of a slump. As I get older, it's become easier to forget a hitless game and focus on the next day," he said.
Freeman, who left Atlanta after 12 seasons and came to the Dodgers before the 2022 season on a six-year, $162 million free agent deal, now has two years left on his contract. He cried hot tears when parting with Atlanta, and he wants to finish his career with the Dodgers, where he has won two championships.
"As you get older you realize nothing matters except winning. If you're part of the Dodgers, you just want to win. Being part of a team where the owner, the front office and the coaching staff all come together with one mind is really incredible and amazing. Fans spend hard-earned money to come to the ballpark, and you can see the owner and front office reinvesting that money back into the players. It's enjoyable to be part of that."
Although he loves the Dodgers, no one knows what the situation will be in two years. It's not surprising if skills decline in the late 30s. Freeman is thinking about that possibility. He said, "If I don't perform well and the club doesn't want me, I can accept that. I understand. I want to keep playing for the Dodgers, but if I become a hindrance to the team I don't want to stay. I'm not the kind of person who will go to Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, and say, 'I want to stay,'" and emphasized, "I think this year is really important. It's the first time in years I've had a healthy offseason. If I can play good defense at first base, it will surely help. I don't want to remain a slow player who makes the team uneasy by not being able to move at first base. I want to stay here, and I know I have to become a better ballplayer."
Freeman went hitless in four at-bats in the Dodgers' 2026 season opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium on the 27th. He was the only Dodgers starter to finish hitless, but he was unlucky as three well-hit balls were caught. However, in the third inning he showed agility by jumping to catch Ketel Marte's line drive at first base and then turning a clean throw to second for a double play.
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