Freddie Freeman

Freeman was called up to the Braves on September 1, 2010, as part of the team's September call-ups, and made his MLB debut that same day.[9] On September 5, 2010, he got his first career MLB hit off of Florida Marlins pitcher Clay Hensley, and on September 21, 2010, he hit his first MLB home run off of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay.[10][11] He played 20 games with the Braves and batted .167. Freeman was not a part of the Braves' playoff roster.[12]

Freeman began the 2011 season as the starting first baseman for the Braves. After a slow start, his performance improved and he had been mentioned as a strong candidate for rookie of the year.[13] On July 4, 2011, Freeman hit two home runs against the Colorado Rockies, for his first multi-home run game.[14] Freeman was the first Braves rookie to reach 50 RBIs by July 18 since Hank Aaron accomplished this feat in 1954.[15] He was the named NL rookie of the month for July; during that month, Freeman led all Major League rookies with 38 hits, a .362 batting average, and a.433 on-base percentage in July 27 games. He also led all NL rookies with six homers and 17 runs. His 18 RBIs tied for the most in the NL among rookies.[16]

In August, Freeman and Dan Uggla became the first members of the Braves to have concurrent twenty game hitting streaks in the modern era.[17] Freeman's streak ended at 20 games on August 7.[18][19] Freeman finished the 2011 year batting .282 with 32 doubles, 21 home runs, and 76 RBI in 157 games played.

Freeman finished second to teammate Craig Kimbrel in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting.[20] Kimbrel and Freeman were the first teammates to finish first and second since 1989, when the Chicago Cubs’ Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith came in first and second.[21] The only other time two Braves finished in the top five, the organization was still located in Milwaukee—Gene Conley was voted third-best rookie of the 1954 season; Hank Aaron came in fourth.[21]

In 2012, Freeman had an NL-leading nine sacrifice flies along with batting .259 with 33 doubles, 23 home runs, and 94 RBI in 147 games played.

In 2013, Freeman was selected as a finalist for the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Final Vote, where he won with a record-setting total of 19.7 million fan votes, but was unable to play because of a thumb injury suffered three days prior to the game.[22] Freeman finished the 2013 season with a .319 batting average, along with 23 homers and 109 RBI in 147 games played. He finished 5th on the National League Most Valuable Player award voting.

Freeman in 2014

On February 4, 2014, Freeman agreed to an eight-year, $135 million extension.[23][24] Freeman was named an All-Star for the second time in 2014, and played the last three innings of the game.[25] He led the team in batting average and on base plus slugging percentage in 2014. Freeman also set a franchise record for innings played.[26] During a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 27, 2014, Freeman hit a three-run homer off of Kyle Kendrick to left center field that was caught by broadcaster Tom McCarthy.[27] Freeman finished the 2014 year by appearing in all 162 games batting .288 with 90 walks, 43 doubles, 18 home runs, and 78 RBI.

On June 17, 2015, Freeman was listed as day-to-day with an injury to his right wrist originally sustained during a June 13 game against the New York Mets.[28] He missed the June 18 game against the Boston Red Sox, ending a streak of 234 consecutive games played, which led the majors at the time.[29] Freeman was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 23,[30] and received a platelet-rich plasma injection soon afterward.[31] He was eligible for activation on July 3,[32] but did not return to action until July 28,[33] three days after he was removed from the disabled list.[34] For the season, Freeman hit for a .276 batting average with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs in 118 games, his shortest season since 2011.[35]

John Coppolella had assumed responsibility for the team's transactions since the 2014–15 off-season,[36][37] and played a large role in the Braves' rebuild, having traded away many players.[38] However, during the 2015–16 off-season, Coppolella repeatedly stated that he would not trade Freeman.[39][40][41] At the beginning of the 2016 season, Freeman was expected to lead the team on the field,[42] despite the wrist injury last year adversely affecting his off-season preparations.[43] Freeman had a difficult start to the season, but began hitting well in June.[44] On June 15, Freeman hit his first career cycle in a 9–8 victory against the Cincinnati Reds.[45] He was named National League Player of the Week soon after that performance.[46] Freeman recorded his first thirty home run season in 2016, on September 13,[43] shortly after claiming his second Player of the Week award in the 2016 season.[47] That day he also drove in the 500th run of his career.[43] On September 29, Freeman's 30-game hitting streak, which had begun on August 24, was halted with an 0–4 night against the Philadelphia Phillies. It had been a part of a larger 46-game run of getting on base, which also ended.[48] During the penultimate week of the regular season, Freeman again was recognized as Player of the Week, and named the September National League Player of the Month at the end of the year.[49][50] Overall in 2016, Freeman played 158 games with a .302 batting average, 43 doubles, 34 home runs, and 91 RBI. For the season, he led all major league hitters in line drive percentage (29.1%).[51] He finished 6th on the National League Most Valuable Player award voting.

Freeman represented Canada at the 2017 World Baseball Classic,[52] something he had always wanted to do.[53][54] He was the starting first baseman on Opening Day against the New York Mets, going 3–4, including a triple. In the first game at SunTrust Park, Freeman doubled in a couple runs. He continued to tear up Padres pitching, hitting three homers in the series. On April 19 against the Washington Nationals, he set a franchise record for most consecutive plate appearances to get on base with a solo homer.[55]

On May 17, Freeman was hit by a pitch from Aaron Loup of Toronto, resulting in him leaving the game. An MRI and CT scan later revealed a non-displaced wrist fracture in his left hand, ruling him out for up to 10 weeks.[56] At the time, Freeman was an early candidate for the MVP award,[57][58] leading the league in home runs with 14, and ranking second in both on-base and slugging percentage.

While rehabilitating his hand injury, Freeman stated in June 2017 that he offered to play third base upon his return, because his replacement at first base, Matt Adams, was hitting well.[59][60] On July 1, Freeman appeared with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves on a rehab assignment in which he played third base.[61] Three days later, he returned to Atlanta, and started at third base against the Houston Astros.[62] Freeman recorded his 1,000th career hit in a game against the Washington Nationals on July 6.[63] Braves manager Brian Snitker stated in August that Freeman would no longer play third base regularly, as injuries to other players necessitated late-season promotions and allowed Freeman to return to first base.[64]

Freeman finished the season batting .307 with 28 home runs and 71 RBIs despite only playing in 117 games, his lowest total since 2010. He led the Braves in home runs, batting, and was second in RBIs.

Freeman underwent LASIK surgery in October 2017,[65][66] to correct vision problems that had manifested since 2012.[67] He was selected to his third All Star game as the National League's starting first baseman.[68] He also accepted an invitation to participate in the 2018 Home Run Derby.[69]

Freeman finished the regular season as the National League leader in base hits with 191.[70] Only Whit Merrifield had more in Major League Baseball.[71] He also finished as the Braves‘ team leader in batting average (.309), on base percentage (.388), slugging percentage (.505), doubles (44), walks (76), and RBIs (98).[70][72] For the season, he led all major league hitters in line drive percentage (32.3%).[73]

Freeman, along with Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs, won the 2018 Gold Glove for first base in the National League.[74] Freeman's teammates Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis won the same award for center field and right field, respectively, marking the first time that three Atlanta Braves had won the honor in the same season.[75][76] Additionally, Freeman received the 2018 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award and finished 4th on the National League Most Valuable Player award voting.[77]

At midseason, Freeman was selected the National League starter at first base in the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[78] The appearance was his second consecutive start in the game and his fourth All-Star Game selection overall.

In 2019 Freeman batted .295/.389/.549 with 38 home runs and 121 RBIs, and led NL hitters in line drive percentage (27.5%).[79] Freeman and teammates Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies won the 2019 National League Silver Slugger Awards for first base, outfield, and second base, respectively.[80][81] Freeman won the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second consecutive season.[82]

On October 18, it was revealed that Freeman underwent right elbow surgery to remove a bone spur. Freeman confessed that the spur had bothered him within recent years, and the injury was first discovered on September 13.[83]

Freeman tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2020, before the season began.[84][85] He was one of the only symptomatic MLB patients with high fever and loss of smell.[86] He recovered in time to participate in some training camp activities, held before the shortened season's Opening Day.[87] Freeman hit his first career grand slam on September 4, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals off of pitcher Tanner Rainey.[88] Two days later, he hit another grand slam, against Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan.[89] On September 9, Freeman reached 1,500 career hits with a home run. During that same game against the Miami Marlins, he set a career high by driving in six runs.[90]

Freeman finished the season hitting .341/.462/.640 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs. He led the major leagues with 23 doubles and 51 runs scored. Freeman's offensive performance won him a second Silver Slugger Award.[91][92] He was named the NL MVP, becoming the first Braves player to win the award since Chipper Jones in 1999.[93][94] Freeman was also voted the Baseball Digest MLB Player of the Year,[95][96] Baseball America Player of the Year,[97] MLBPA Player's Choice Player of the Year, and MLBPA Player's Choice NL Outstanding Player.[98] Freeman was awarded the 2020 National League Hank Aaron Award, becoming the second player in franchise history to win the award, following Andruw Jones in 2005.[99][100]