Freddie Freeman wins 2020 NL MVP award

When it comes to the best player in the NL, Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman holds the bragging rights.

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman almost didn’t play in this truncated MLB season after he contracted COVID-19. His diagnosis was very serious, where he held a dangerously high fever. Freeman recovered in time to get cleared by the league and to take the field for the Braves’ season opener. Flash forward three months later, and Freeman has earned the honor that no member of the Braves has done in over 20 years.

On Thursday, the Baseball Writer’s Association of America named Freeman the 2020 NL MVP, as he held off Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado. Freeman is now the first Braves player to win the award since Chipper Jones did so in 1999.

Freeman joins elite company

Shockingly, Freeman has never emerged as a top-three finalist in his career. The highest Freeman ever finished was in fourth-place following the 2018 season.

Freeman played in every game this season, where he slashed .341/.462/.640 while hitting 13 home runs and 53 RBI. In fact, Freeman led the league in runs scored (51) and doubles (23). His numbers helped contribute to the Braves becoming one of the most dangerous hitting teams in the league, as they topped their 29 colleagues in RBI (338), total bases (1,001) and OPS (.832).

Freeman also played a huge role in Atlanta’s deep run in the postseason, where they were just one win away from reaching the World Series. We all know how it ended, with the Dodgers overcoming a 3-1 deficit to clinch the pennant, but Freeman was impressive. In 12 postseason games, Freeman slashed .279/.415/.488 with two home runs, 12 hits, nine runs scored and seven RBI.

To the victor goes the spoils — Freeman is the NL MVP for the first-time in his illustrious MLB career.