Dodgers' Dave Roberts Sends Clear Message to Freddie Freeman on Future

Los Angeles Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman reached a special milestone on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, collecting his 2,500th career hit.

After the game, the Dodgers celebrated both the win and also the accomplishment from Freeman. During the champagne toast, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts challenged Freeman to keep going in his career, hoping to see the veteran reach the 3,000-hit mark.

"You’d better get 500 more," Roberts said to Freeman.

Of course, this is a lot to ask, especially since Freeman is 36 years old, but it's possible if he keeps playing for a few more years.

“Yeah, that’s a challenge, a tall order. But I’m not gonna bet against him,” Roberts said. “For us, we go through the grind every day, so you have to celebrate certain moments. And that’s a big moment for him. It just speaks to the longevity and consistency from Freddie.”

Freeman has been one of the best pure hitters in baseball during his long career, so if he were to play for multiple years, this feat could become a reality. But the veteran has spoken about his desire to potentailly stop playing sooner than expected after he and his wife had another child earlier this season.

It was once thought that Freeman might play for a few more years, but the veteran said that his new girl has changed his perspective on life. This could see Freeman hang it up sooner than expected, even if that means not going for the 3,000-hit mark.

Freeman has one more year left on his current contract, and it remains to be seen if the Dodgers bring him back. The veteran has enjoyed every minute of being with the Dodgers, and he reflected on his career following the accomplishment.

“It does mean a lot, especially when your manager and your teammates appreciate what you’ve done over the course of your career,” Freeman said. “There’s always another goal to get to, but to be able to step back and realize how long you have to play, the consistency over the course of that, to play at a high level for many, many years, it does mean a lot."

The All-Star is still very productive, hitting .286 with 10 home runs and 26 runs batted in, while putting up an OPS of .847 this season. Freeman has given his all to the game of baseball over the years, and now he wants to finish his career with a bang.

"I just try to play this game the right way to the best of my abilities every single day. To reach some of these cool milestones over the course of your career is really great," Freeman said.

Playing for the Dodgers gives Freeman a chance to keep adding more titles to his resume, but it remains to be seen how much longer he will play. But if he can keep going, the 3,000-hit mark is well within reach.

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