By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Los Angeles Dodgers have added slugger Freddie Freeman to their already potent lineup after the 2020 National League MVP agreed to a six-year deal reportedly worth $162 million.
The 32-year-old infielder spent the last 12 seasons with the Atlanta Braves where he hit .295 with 271 homers and 941 RBI and was named an All-Star five times. Last season he helped power the Braves to their first World Series championship since 1995.
Freeman won the 2020 MVP award in the COVID-19-shortened season ahead of now team mate Mookie Betts.
He completes a fearsome lineup that includes Betts, Trea Turner, Will Smith, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor and AJ Pollock as the 2020 champions look to hoist the trophy again this year.
“Today is an incredibly exciting day,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at a news conference introducing Freeman at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
“I can’t say enough about ownership and the position they’ve put us in to go out and win the last game of the year. And today our chances of that went way up.”
Freeman had several offers on the table but in the end the Southern California native said it was all about family.
“I have a 67-year-old dad and an 86-year-old grandfather who are now going to get to see me play every single day, so that was one of the leading factors,” Freeman, who is the father of three boys, told reporters.
“Seeing how much family means (to the Dodgers) was a huge factor in my decision. Being home and getting to play in front of my family is why I decided to be a Dodger.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Ken Ferris)
