Dodgers Insider Says LA Has Been in Talks with Freddie Freeman

Could he be going back to Cali?

With Corey Seager going to the Rangers, many are not wasting any time in trying to find a replacement for the slugger in Los Angeles. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, as well as a few others, have connected the Dodgers to free-agent Freddie Freeman in recent weeks. John Heyman thinks that the Dodgers may have the best chance of luring him away from Atlanta.

Teams are trying to pry superstar 1B Freddie Freeman from Atlanta. Some say they still don’t think it will happen but r surprised he’s still free. Dodgers, who lost Seager and could move Muncy to 2B, may have best hope for SoCal product, NYY, TOR (h/t Carlos Baerga) reached out.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 30, 2021

AM570 host Dave Vassegh revealed that Dodger players are now focused on the 2020 MVP.

“The one thing that has occurred since Corey Seager has agreed to sign with the Texas Rangers. The Dodgers have now pivoted toward Orange County’s own Freddie Freeman. … I had Dodger players immediately — I had three different Dodger players of significance text me after Seager’s news was announced, ‘Freddie Freeman. Freddie Freeman. Freddie Freeman.'”

Of course, having players wanting their team to sign one of the top free agents on the market after losing a key player is nothing unusual. But this seems to be more than just wishful thinking, according to Vassegh.

“They are engaged in talks right now. And what makes this all the more interesting is, Freddie Freeman, from my understanding, talking to people close to him, he has grown very impatient with the Atlanta Braves. Because the Atlanta Braves were taking the strategy of wait and see where the market goes before offering him a contract. So, to my knowledge, the Braves have not offered Freddie Freeman any sort of contract which has made him grow very impatient. And, when a door closes, there’s another one that opens and Andrew Friedman usually steps right through it.

Adding Freeman would enable the Dodgers to get creative and potentially move Max Muncy from first base to second, while Trea Turner takes over at shortstop. That's one heck of an infield. Since making his debut in 2010, the 32-year-old has been one of the best hitters in baseball. Furthermore, his bat is as good or better than Seager's while remaining healthy more often than not. In his career so far, Freeman has played at least 147 games in 8 of 11 seasons, including the Covid shortened one.

Word is Freeman had been seeking about $180M for 6 years. Seems reasonable to me. If that’s it, Braves should just pay him.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 30, 2021

If Andrew Friedman manages to perform some more trade magic, as he has been known to do, and land the coveted first-baseman, odds are they'll be World Series favorites again next season. The Dodgers should just hurry up with an offer and sign Freddie because $180 million over six years for such a skilled veteran is definitely a bargain.