3 reasons the Braves will be even better without Freddie Freeman
By Tim Boyle
The Atlanta Braves let Freddie Freeman leave and may be better for it.
The biggest storyline with the Atlanta Braves this winter was whether or not Freddie Freeman would return to the only professional organization he has ever known. Fresh off of winning the World Series, it was practically a given that they would award this generation’s Chipper Jones with a brand new contract.
Once they entered the MLB lockout without a new deal, the odds swayed a little more in favor of the two sides parting ways. Rumors swirled all lockout long. Ultimately, the Braves blinked first and decided to pull off a trade with the Oakland Athletics to acquire Matt Olson to play first base.
Freeman is now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers where he’ll hope to take down his former team if they meet in the playoffs. The Braves are still hoping to win it all again this year. In fact, for these three reasons, they may be better off without Freeman.
The Braves may have actually upgraded at first base with Matt Olson
Matt Olson is coming off of a monster year with the Athletics where he slashed .271/.371/.540 with 39 home runs and 111 RBI. It was easily his best big league season yet. Along with some superb defensive skills which include a pair of Gold Gloves in the past, the younger first baseman could very well have a much better season than Freeman.
This isn’t to discount what Freeman was able to do for the Braves last year or years prior. He has regularly been in the MVP conversation. In the shortened 2020 campaign, he took it home.
Freeman batted .300/.393/.503 for Atlanta last year with 31 home runs and 83 RBI. However, as he enters his age 32 season with Olson playing this season at 28, there’s a strong possibility we begin to see the younger of the two first basemen trend up with the older trend downward.
The pair could very well enter this season on equal footing. Long-term, however, there’s a much better chance Olson gives the Braves more successful seasons than Freeman can for the Dodgers.