TAMPA — After practically two months of frustration, Freddie Freeman is starting to look way more like his regular self.
Freeman drove in a trio of runs in Friday night time’s 5-0 win over the Rays, lining a two-run double to proper within the first inning and crushing a solo shot at 111.2 mph off the bat within the fifth. His fourth multihit effort in his previous eight video games could possibly be signaling a turnaround on the plate for the star first baseman.
The outcomes weren’t quick, with Freeman nonetheless calling his swing a “work in progress” just a few days later. However he is hit safely in 9 of 10 video games since making the change.
The Dodgers have been assured that Freeman nonetheless had performances like Friday’s in him. It is a part of the rationale why they didn’t swing huge forward of Thursday’s Commerce Deadline, as a substitute opting to enhance on the margins.
L.A.’s greatest additions have been righty reliever Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Name, each of whom joined the staff in Tampa. The Dodgers are finally banking on their gifted roster fulfilling its potential, which could possibly be extra impactful — and is definitely more cost effective — than any splashy strikes on the Deadline.
An ill-timed July skid shrank the Dodgers’ lead within the NL West from a season-high 9 video games on July 3 to a few over the Padres getting into Friday. San Diego was aggressive forward of the Deadline, with common supervisor A.J. Preller going all-in with an array of daring strikes.
The Dodgers’ entrance workplace, led by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, feels that the staff has already gone all-in. Their season-defining strikes occurred in the course of the offseason slightly than this summer season.
