Dodgers: Freddie Freeman Talks Added Motivation After LA's Postseason Loss to Padres

The first baseman spoke with the media about his expectations for the 2023 season.

After the Padres eliminated the Dodgers from the playoffs last year, Freddie Freeman and the rest of the team are more driven than ever to compete this season.

On Tuesday, Freeman attended the “Dodgers Love LA Community Tour” which was an event in support of the Long Beach Salvation Army, as they helped send food to families in need within the community.

During the event, the 33-year-old spoke with the media to discuss his excitement for the 2023 season despite how unhappy fans may have been after LA’s postseason loss to the Padres. 

“Every time you lose, all 29 other teams should have fuel going in the next season. For me, a loss -- yes, we won 111 games and blah blah blah and all that but, no matter in you win 80, 60, 110, if you don't win the World Series you lost. That's how I view every single season, you have one goal. A fan base has one goal and you owe it to that fan base and if we lose we all lose. The Houston Astros should be the only happy team leaving 2022. So yes, we had a great summer. We did, we had a wonderful summer but we lost. And if that doesn't fuel you every single year, then you have no business being a professional baseball player. Or a professional athlete. You have one job every time you walk into training camp, spring training, whatever beginning camp is, that's to win the World Series and we didn't do that last year. So, if you don't have the fuel to try and do it again -- I mean, that's why we're crazy. We start it all over and try to attempt it again every single year.”

“A lot of people picked us to win last year and we had a really good team but I think everyone that knows baseball, crazy things happen. Did anybody think an 87 win Philadelphia Phillies team was going to get to the World Series. An 88 win Atlanta Braves team is gonna win the World Series. That's why we play so many games and that's why it's eight, nine months long because baseball is a beautiful sport and sometimes it can smack you right down and it did to us last year but we're excited to be going in a couple weeks."

Many may count the Dodgers out this year, but there is still a lot of hope for the team this upcoming season. Los Angeles holds all the right pieces to shape its way into another solid standing in 2023.

After a strong showing from Freeman last year, the 2020 NL MVP can certainly contribute to the team’s success. Last season with LA, he ended with a batting average that was second in the league at .325, with 21 home runs and 100 RBI.  The six-time All-Star also led the NL in runs, hits, doubles, and OBP.

There is a lot of fuel added to the fire as the Dodgers remain hungry for another title.