Freddie Freeman Shines in Cactus League Debut with Two RBIs After a Quiet Offseason

PHOENIX — Freddie Freeman made his long-awaited return to the batter’s box on Tuesday during a spring training matchup against the Cleveland Guardians at Camelback Ranch. This marked the first time since he grounded out to end Game 7 of the World Series that Freeman faced the pitcher, and he was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from Dodgers fans in attendance.

In his first at-bat, Freeman popped out to third base, but he quickly found his rhythm, hitting a double to left center in the third inning that drove in two runs. He exited the game shortly thereafter, contributing to the Dodgers’ convincing 11-3 victory. Last season, Freeman struggled with the lingering effects of a right ankle injury sustained late in 2024, making this year’s offseason preparation significant for him.

“It’s been in a good spot since I started hitting this offseason,” Freeman noted, highlighting his improved swing. “Nice to be able to hit a ball to left center already, that’s a good sign. I hadn’t swung a bat till a day before fanfest last year. A normal offseason [this year] definitely helps.”

While Freeman received All-Star recognition and garnered votes for the NL MVP, the 36-year-old has experienced a slight decline in performance over the past two seasons. In 2022 and 2023, he posted on-base percentages of .407 and .410, securing a league-leading 47 and 59 doubles, respectively. However, his OBP fell to .378 in 2024 and further to .367 in 2025.

Freeman’s .295 batting average ranked as the third-best in the National League, yet he expressed dissatisfaction with not maintaining a higher average. “There wasn’t a 3 at the start of my batting average last year, and that irks me,” Freeman commented. “That’s my goal always, to hit .300. I like hits. I’m a hitter. Three at the front of a batting average means a lot to me."

Freeman also faced challenges last season when he landed on the injured list at the start of April due to an aggravated ankle injury, which sidelined him for nine games and hindered his performance throughout the year. “I was taping my ankle till about August,” he explained. “There was a lot of treatment… I think I played all right for that, and we won again, so I’m really looking forward this year.”

Looking ahead, Freeman aims to improve defensively. As a former Gold Glove recipient, he acknowledged a need for enhancement, having rated poorly in both defensive runs saved and outs above average metrics last season. “I didn’t like the way I played defense last year, and I thought it was just because I wasn’t mobile enough,” he said, emphasizing his focus on making impactful plays at first base.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism regarding Freeman’s potential this season. “I think he takes such good care of himself,” Roberts remarked. “If we can keep him healthy, I just don’t see why he can’t have the year that he expects.”

Freeman shared his aspirations of playing for four more years, reaching his age-40 season, which would mark his 20th year in Major League Baseball. “I got a family that I would like to go home to,” he stated. “I do love this game; I love playing it, but for me, if I can do four, that would be 20 years. I think that’s enough.”

In other news, right-hander Gavin Stone returned to the mound following major shoulder surgery that sidelined him last season. Stone pitched a scoreless first inning and struck out two batters, expressing satisfaction with his performance. “It was awesome,” he said. “Definitely a lot of hard work over the previous year. Rehab was a grind, but it’s good to be back out there.”