Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers News: Paul Goldschmidt Wins NL Hank Aaron Award Over Mookie and Freeman

Did Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman deserve the award more than the Cardinals first baseman?

Ryan Menzie

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The Hank Aaron Award winners were announced with Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge taking home the AL award. The NL nominees consisted of Dodgers players Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman but Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt took home the NL honors. 

All nominees are deserving of the award, but it can be argued Freeman had a better season than Goldschmidt as he finished first in hits (199) and doubles (47), second in batting average (.325), and tied with Betts for second in runs scored (117).

This of course doesn't take anything away from the impressive season Goldschmidt had as he finished third in batting average (.317), fourth in RBI's (115), and tied with Betts for eighth in home runs (35) which is 14 more than Freeman. 

Having any of these guys on your team was good enough to propel their team into a championship aspired team. It helped the Dodgers a bit more with having both Freeman and Betts on their team making the first round postseason exit that much more disappointing. 

The hardware is always nice achievements but if we were to ask Freeman and Betts what they'd rather win they'd immediately say the World Series. There is no indication that the Dodgers plan to trade Freeman or Betts anytime soon leaving the door open for another chance at a championship run.

The news of Trea Turner possibly departing only puts more pressure on the two All-Stars and in the instance the two have to put the team on their backs some more, maybe Freeman and Betts will be considered for the award once again and win. 

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Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Mookie Betts Favorite Moment: 2020 World Series. The Lakers won the NBA title and the Dodgers secured the World Series only a couple of months later. During such a rough time with COVID-19 and such a bleak look at how sports has tried to overcome the circumstances, it was a relief to see the night sky lit up for many nights and a makeshift parade in LA when it seemed like we needed it the most.

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