The most lovely symphony in Dodgerland is not played in a concert hall. It’s played daily on the diamond, an exact, substantial “crack” that sends a baseball flying. You must be thinking of #17? Yes, Ohtani’s strong swing definitely creates some amazing tunes. However, another maestro whose bat is not only making music but also creating history has been writing masterpieces for years: Freddie Freeman. Is he intending to leave the stage any time soon? He believes that his collection of greatest hits is still far from complete.
Freddie Freeman’s bat has been nothing short of amazing this season. With a .366 batting average and an incredible 1.145 OPS, he tops the NL in various offensive metrics, including slugging percentage and OPS. His nine home runs and 33 RBIs show his lasting skill at the plate. Given his ongoing recovery from offseason ankle surgery, these achievements are even more impressive. And he is standing tall on the plate for the Dodgers.
Over the weekend, Freddie Freeman’s great stat line earned him the NL Player of the Week award. He also talked about his attitude, which combines the pure desire to win with a deep respect for the individual milestones that make up a player’s journey. “Numbers are still a huge thing,” he said, recognizing that these standards are appealing to everyone. “Everybody looks at numbers. Everyone loves round numbers.” “As you’re a kid growing up, for me it was 500 home runs, 3,000 hits. Those were the numbers. … Round numbers are really cool.” The numbers that used to look cool are now his new benchmark that he would love to achieve before he says goodbye to baseball. Is he leaving?
He openly discussed his retirement plans. And no, he will not be retiring anytime soon. He said, “Obviously it’s not set in stone. I have two years left on this contract (after 2025). Then I would like to play two more years. I would turn 40 in September of 2029.”
Freeman now leads all active players with 2,308 career hits. Reaching the desired 3,000-hit milestone—a feat accomplished by just 33 players in MLB history—has become a real objective. Freeman has calculated that averaging 150 hits over the next five years would allow him to accomplish this milestone. Even Dave Roberts agrees with it. He said, “He’ll get there. He will absolutely get there. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with aiming for excellence, especially when the quest is closely related to the traits of consistency, durability, and unrelenting dedication to the game itself. For Freddie Freeman, the figures tell a story of an extraordinary career that is still being written rather than mere facts. Even Freeman struggles with slumps and mechanical changes. Yes, there were issues in the initial days, but now he is unstoppable.
Freddie Freeman’s Swing Revival:
Let’s revisit a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 25, 2025. Are you wondering why we are talking about it now? You will find out. Yes, the Dodgers lost the game, but for Freeman, it was the turning point.
He got a down-and-away splitter into center field for a single despite the team’s 3-0 loss. For Freeman, who had been battling with his swing mechanics, this apparently small hit signaled a major turning point. Looking back on that at-bat, Freeman remarked, “It was a changeup away, and I was able to stay through it and hit a line drive up the middle. That’s when I kind of figured things were working… That’s when my confidence in my swing kind of skyrocketed, was after that hit.”
Not only do his numbers speak to that, but even MLB insider Jack Harris noticed it and penned it down. Harris wrote, “Entering that game against the Pirates, Freeman was batting just .250 this year, with a .911 OPS inflated mostly by a flurry of early home runs.”
After that game, Freeman set out on one of the most fruitful stretches of his career. He batted .475 over the next 16 games, gathering 29 hits—six doubles, one triple, five home runs—with 22 RBIs and a 1.374 OPS. Dave Roberts, his manager, said, “I can’t remember him being this good, for this long.” Given his continuous recuperation from a right ankle ailment needing offseason surgery, Freeman’s comeback was especially remarkable. Freeman kept to his daily schedule despite the ongoing pain, saying, “I do the same routine every day, try to hit strikes. And they’re just falling right now.” And they are simply falling right now.
Freddie Freeman’s swing problems have continued since late in the 2023 season, defined by what he called a “cut swing,” in which his hips opened early and his bat sliced across the strike zone. He found it difficult to fix this defect despite many drills and practices. As Freeman observed, “The previous two weeks, I would probably have rolled that over. But that pitch in that location, and how I hit it off Paul in that at-bat, I felt like I was in a good spot. It kind of helped my confidence.” It won’t be wrong to say the Pirates’ loss was a blessing in disguise for Freeman!
Although Freeman’s ankle still needs daily care, he stays dedicated to his team position. If he keeps playing like that, the goal of 3000 hits is not that far away.
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