Freddie Freeman 2020 Season Recap
Thirty-one-year-old Freddie Freeman finished his 11th major league season, posting career bests in batting average (.341), on-base percentage (.462) and slugging percentage (.640)…He played in all 60 games, and hit 13 home runs and drove in 53.
N.L. ranks: doubles (23, 1st), runs (51, 1st), extra-base hits (37, 1st), fWAR (3.3, 1st), batting average (.341, 2nd), on-base % (.462, 2nd), slugging % (.640, 2nd), OPS (1.102, 2nd), RBI (53, 2nd), total bases (137, 2nd), hits (73, 3rd) and walks (45, 3rd). • Franchise ranks (since 1900): doubles (342, 3rd), on-base percentage (.383, 5th), runs (849, 6th), home runs (240, 6th), RBI (858, 6th), extrabase hits (605, 6th), total bases (2,632, 6th), games played (1,406, 7th), hits (1,524, 7th), slugging percentage (.509, 8th) and batting average (.295, 11th).
With a league-leading 23 doubles, passed Andruw Jones (330) and Eddie Mathews (338) on the franchise's doubles list...Since Freeman entered the league in 2010, his 342 doubles are third most in baseball...Only the Mets’ Robinson Canó (372) and the Braves' Nick Markakis (353) have more in this time.
Recorded his 1,500th career hit with a two-run home run on September 9 vs. Miami...Only seven Braves have reached that milestone: Hank Aaron (3,600), Chipper Jones (2,726), Eddie Mathews (2,201), Dale Murphy (1,901), Rabbit Maranville (1,696), Andruw Jones (1,683) and Tommy Holmes (1,503)...Freeman was the 26th active player to record his 1,500th career hit.
Finished in the top four of the major leagues in runs (51), hits (73), doubles (23), RBI (53) and walks (45)...Since RBI became an official stat in 1920, the only other player to finish in the top four in the majors in each of those categories was NYY's Lou Gehrig in 1927 (Stats Inc.)... Gehrig won his first of two MVP awards that season.
Freeman has finished in the top eight of N.L. MVP voting four times (2013, '16, '18, '19), including as high as fourth in 2018...Is looking to become the first Braves player to win the award since Chipper Jones in 1999.
Placed second to the Nationals' Juan Soto in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS...Soto played in 13 fewer games and had 66 fewer plate appearances...Soto had 2.4 fWAR, while Freeman had 3.3, second most in the majors to CLE's Jose Ramirez (3.4).
Named the National League Player of the Month for September after hitting .375/.496/.750 (36-for-96) in 26 games with a major leaguemost 12 doubles and 20 extra-base hits (12 2B, 8 HR). • Had 32 RBI in the month, one off the league lead held by teammate Marcell Ozuna (33)...Freeman is the only player in Atlanta-era history to twice drive in 30 runs in a calendar month...He also did so last June, when he had a record 33 RBI, which was matched this month by Ozuna.
This is the second monthly award of Freeman's career...He was also the N.L. Player of the Month in September 2016. • His 23 doubles were the most by any Atlanta-era player (since '66) through the first 60 games of a season...Only two other players in modern franchise history had more through this period...Boston’s Red Worthington had 27 in 1932, and Hank Aaron had 24 in 1959. • Pittsburgh’s Paul Waner (33 in 1932) has the major league doubles record through the first 60 games of a season.
Moved to the No. 2 spot in the lineup on August 16 for six games, and went back on August 31, where he has hit out of ever since...Has batted .390/.512/.690 (39-for-100) with 18 extra-base hits (12 2B, 6 HR) and 25 RBI in 26 total games, all starts. • The Braves have gone 17-9 (.654) in these games and have averaged 6.5 runs per game.
Freeman had just one start in the No. 2 spot in the first 10 seasons (4/6/11 vs. MIL; 0-for-4, K). • Hit .462 (18-for-39) with three doubles, one triple and five home runs when putting the first pitch of an at-bat in play this season. • His 18 hits in these situations were the second most in baseball (Tatis Jr., 19)...Has 340 of these hits since his first full season in 2011, also the second most in the majors (Altuve, 402).
Had a 33-game on-base streak, the longest in the majors this season and second longest of his career (46 games, 8/6-9/28/16)...It was a stretch that lasted from August 11-September 18...He hit .403/.516/.718 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in that time.
Had a season-best 18-game hitting streak, the longest in the N.L. this season, and second longest in the majors (Jose Abreu, 22 games)...It was the third longest such streak of his career, and lasted from August 14-September 4...He batted .394 (26-for-66) in that span with more walks (14) than strikeouts (10).
Freeman's longer hitting streaks were a 20-game stretch in 2011 (7/17-8/6) and a career-best 30-game stretch in 2016 (8/24- 9/28). • Freeman owns four of the Braves’ eight longest hitting streaks since his debut in 2011. • Reached base three or more times in 22 games this season, easily the most in baseball...His six games reaching at least four times were tied for the majors lead with Brandon Belt, DJ LeMahieu and Juan Soto.
Batted .423/.583/.885 (22-for-52) with runners in scoring position, placing either first or second in the majors in each of those categories. Started the season 8-for-42 (.190) before he was given a day off from the starting lineup on August 5...Since the following day, Freeman hit hitting .378 (65-for-172) with 12 home runs, 46 RBI, a .490 on-base percentage and a 1.211 OPS in 47 games...He struck out just 25 times over this stretch.
Hit his first career grand slam in the fourth inning of Game 2 of a doubleheader on September 4 off the Nationals' Tanner Rainey. • The slam came in his 105th career plate appearance with the bases loaded…Since Freeman entered the league in 2010, 55 players across baseball had at least 105 plate appearances with the bases loaded and all except Freeman had hit at least one grand slam.
Hit his second career grand slam two days later on September 6, also against Washington... Freeman is just the second player in Atlanta franchise history to hit two grand slams in a single series, and the first to do so in separate games...Pitcher Tony Cloninger hit slams in both the first and fourth innings on July 3, 1966 at San Francisco.
Hit a walk-off home run on September 25 vs. Boston in the 11th inning, his 11th career walk-off, and his fifth game-ending homer...Freeman did not start the game...He came on as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and drew a walk. • Went 4-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBI in Atlanta's home opener, a 7-4 victory over Tampa Bay on July 29...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Freeman became only the third Braves player with four hits in a home opener since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966...Fred McGriff had four hits in the 1995 home opener and Brian McCann had four hits in 2012.
Made his 10th consecutive Opening Day start, which extends his modern era franchise record (since 1900) for a first baseman...Fred Tenney held the previous record, starting eight straight Opening Days at first base from 1900-1907...Overall, since 1900, only Tenney has started even nine Opening Days at first base for the franchise.
Freeman is just the third player in the franchise’s modern era to start 10 consecutive Opening Days at a single position...Eddie Mathews holds the record with 15 straight at third base from 1952-1966, while Andruw Jones started 10 consecutive in centerfield from 1998-2007.
Since the organization moved to Atlanta in 1966, only Chipper Jones (13 at 3B) and Jones (10 in CF) have started at least 10 Opening Days at a single position. • Among N.L. players, only StL’s Yadier Molina (16) and CIN’s Joey Votto (12) have started more consecutive Opening Days with their current team than Freeman...In the A.L., only TEX’s Elvis Andrus (12) has a longer active streak.
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