Dodgers Seoul Series: Freddie Freeman Searching For Swing Heading Into Opening Day

Freddie Freeman has been a model of consistency throughout his illustrious career and especially so since signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022.

Through his first two seasons with the team, the seven-time All-Star is batting .328/.408/.540 with 410 hits, 106 doubles, 50 home runs and 202 RBI. Freeman played in all but four of 324 possible games while twice finishing in the top five in National League MVP voting.

Freeman continued to make an impact at the plate during Spring Training as he hit .281/.324/.625 with one triple, three home runs and 14 RBI in 13 Cactus League games. He hit a home run in the Dodgers’ first exhibition game in Seoul but then went 0-for-1 with a walk against Team Korea.

While the overall results were good, Freeman admitted he has not found the best feeling with swing heading into the Seoul Series, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:

“Everyone else will say I’m hitting .300 (in spring games),” Freeman said. “But for me, I’m real hard on myself and I expect a lot of myself. So, personally, I haven’t liked the way I’ve felt but I’m sure everyone would wave me off.

“For me, there’s just a few things that I’m waiting for and that’s to let a ball travel a little longer, stay with my right side and hit a ball to left field. Not a fly out to left. Just where I can back the ball up and line it there.”

Freeman was specifically disappointed with his lack of opposite-field hits, which has been a big part of his game for many years now.

Even though he didn’t get many hits to fall in left field, Freeman will presumably find a solution and continue being key to the Dodgers’ success this season.

Freddie Freeman comfortable with any Dodgers lineup order

After primarily hitting in the No. 2 spot during his first two seasons with the Dodgers, Freeman will bat behind Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani this year.

The 34-year-old is comfortable with the change and doesn’t expect it to negatively impact his approach. “I’ve hit both, so it doesn’t really bother me where I hit,” Freeman recently said.

“I think you can ask all of us, one through three, four, five, it doesn’t matter. It’s just trying to get the best out of everyone else in the lineup and where we’re at.

“I think collectively, we have nine guys that could hit one, two or three on our team. But I think we’re kind of set on something right now, so we’ll see how it goes.”