Report: 'Growing Belief' Freddie Freeman Will Leave Braves; Why Mets Should Jump
When free agency first began back in November, the initial perception was that first baseman Freddie Freeman wasn't going anywhere.
Freeman, who had just helped the Atlanta Braves capture a World Series title in 2021, surely wasn't going to bolt from the only team he has ever known in his 12-year big-league career.
But not so fast. The Braves dragged their feet prior to the lockout, and now plans may change after the work stoppage is over.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, there is "growing belief" around the industry that Freeman is not going back to the Braves. Not only did Olney drop that tidbit of shocking news, but he also reported that the Mets were one of the teams who checked in on Freeman before the collective bargaining agreement expired.
“This was the most interesting thing that I heard. There’s a perception in the industry that Freddie Freeman is not going back to the Braves,” Olney told The Michael Kay Show on Thursday. “Last summer, that was assumed, like ‘Yeah, eventually he’ll go back there.’ Now, they don’t believe that, and here’s an interesting thing. One of the teams that checked in on the Freddie Freeman availability before December 2nd were the Mets."
Although the Mets already have a pretty good first baseman in budding franchise cornerstone, Pete Alonso, this might not prevent them from pursuing Freeman.
The Mets are in need of another bat, and with the addition of the universal designated hitter moving forward, this gives them the flexibility to carry two star first basemen on their roster if they choose.
Freeman would essentially serve as the Mets' everyday first baseman, while Alonso would displace Robinson Cano as the full-time DH. Freeman and Alonso could also share first base/DH duties, which would keep both player's legs fresh over the course of a full season.
Despite Alonso's wishes to play first base on a regular basis, along with the strides he has made defensively at the position, he could be more willing to move into a DH role if it means Freeman joins the Mets.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has already spent $254.5 million in free agency this offseason and has made it clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to win-now. The Mets' luxury tax payroll stands at $271 million and there could be new penalties that are implemented for teams that exceed the competitive balance tax figure in the next CBA. But regardless of the severity of these penalties, it might not matter to Cohen, whose net worth is estimated to be around $15 billion. Following the lockout, Cohen's club has the potential to become the first franchise to not only hit the $300 million payroll-mark, but blow past it, considering they still have holes to fill on their roster.
Cohen's personality has often been compared to Yankees late-owner George Steinbrenner. He now has the opportunity to pull off a Steinbrenner-type offseason by spending like a drunken sailor in order to dramatically enhance his team's World Series chances.
Freeman has been a notorious Met' killer in his career with a .305/.390/.499/.889 slash line, 28 home runs and 115 RBI in 188 games, per StatMuse. He also just helped the Mets' NL East rivals win a World Series title a season ago, so New York could essentially weaken the Braves by stealing a key piece of their championship squad.
When the Mets signed 37-year-old superstar pitcher Max Scherzer to a historic three-year, $130 million deal on cyber Monday, it signaled they were all-in. And remember, the probability of the Mets signing Scherzer in November was seen as unlikely until the 11th hour.
Freeman, 32, is rumored to be seeking a contract in the six-year, $180 million range. By bringing him in, it would ultimately solidify the Mets' desire to finish the job, as opposed to going halfway and entering the season with a number of roster deficiencies. Like Scherzer, Freeman would be a franchise altering move that would jettison the Mets into the conversation of being clear-cut title contenders.
However, Freeman rejected the Braves’ qualifying offer in November, which means the Mets would have to give up their second pick in the 2022 MLB Draft to sign him, the No. 14 overall selection. This is something that New York has said they are unwilling to do. But a player of Freeman’s caliber could ultimately persuade them to change their minds.
New York is going to prioritize pitching and depth after the lockout, which likely means adding one starter and 1-2 relievers. But with their offense not yet complete, Freeman's impact bat would be the final piece of the puzzle to put this team over the top.
Freeman carries valuable left-handed power, which the Mets' lineup currently lacks. He was also the 2020 NL MVP, is a five-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger Award recipient and won a Gold Glove in 2018. Freeman's career slash line is an impressive .295/.384/.509 across 1,565 games.
Last season, Freeman slashed .300/.393/.503/.896, slugged 31 home runs, produced a total of 58 extra-base hits, drove in 83 RBI, scored 120 runs and had a weighted runs created (wRC+) of 135. If the Mets are able to land Freeman, they could plug him into the middle of the order in front of two speedy table setters that get on-base at a high clip in Brandon Nimmo (.401 OBP, 137 wRC+ in 2021) and Starling Marte (.381 OBP, 134 wRC+ in 2021), which should increase their run total as a team.
Speaking of Nimmo, this could potentially be his last season as a Met as he is entering his final year of arbitration. Ace pitcher Jacob deGrom, 34, can opt-out after the 2022 season, and if he can stay healthy and return to his usual dominant form on the mound this year, he will surely exercise this clause in his contract and command record-setting money in free agency next winter. The Mets also signed Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha for a combined $124.5 million, and they are all on short-term deals and in their early-30s.
This gives the Mets all the more reason to go for it now. Their free agency moves, along with the decision to hire 65-year-old manager Buck Showalter, signal that they are going for it this year.
In the end, it will cost money and a high draft pick to sign Freeman. Albeit, the Mets can still do their part to build up their farm system to create a sustainable winner in the long-run. Even if they signed Freeman, the Mets would still be expected to hold five top 100 picks in the 2022 MLB Draft, and Cohen has provided the organization with the proper resources to grow one of the largest analytics departments in the sport.
The Mets can still "go for it" and not hurt their long-term World Series odds, an aspect that general manager Billy Eppler has emphasized the importance of several times since coming to New York, by spending additional money to improve the major league roster, as opposed to trading prospects and depleting their farm system.
Going after Freeman isn't the most cut and dried plan when you look at the Mets' roster configuration, but with the arrival of the universal DH, New York could make it work and it would pay extreme dividends in both the near-term and long-term future. Not to mention, they'd be swiping a key component from their NL East rivals, who are coming off winning a World Series championship last season.
