“It’s pretty amazing… we’re not completely clicking and we’re 19-7” - Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Freddie Freeman is in awe of new club's early-season success
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman doesn't think his team is playing its best baseball. They've lost seven games already with a roster that many MLB analysts touted as one of the best ever. They've struggled with tough injuries in both their bullpen and batting order. They have just one player batting over .300 on their star-studded roster.
And the Los Angeles Dodgers are still one of the league's best teams.
They've won 19 games and are first place in the National League West division. They have three games in hand on the second-place San Diego Padres, who are 19-10. Oddsmakers give the Dodgers a 99.9% chance of making the postseason and a 34.7% of winning the World Series. Read those odds again. The Tampa Bay Rays have the second-best odds of winning it all. Oddsmakers give them an 11.1% chance. That's a difference of 23.7 points between first and second place.
Current World Series odds ⚾⤵️
Dodgers +450
Blue Jays +800
Mets +800
Yankees +850
Astros +1000
Brewers +1300
Braves +1300
MORE: btng.pro/Uyig37
"Current World Series odds Dodgers +450 Blue Jays +800 Mets +800 Yankees +850 Astros +1000 Brewers +1300 Braves +1300" - @BettingPros
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Freddie Freeman is in awe of new club's early-season success
Freddie Freeman is a new Dodger this year. He won the World Series with the Atlanta Braves last year after spending 11 seasons with them. He parted ways with them this offseason after they failed to outdo the Dodgers' generous offer of $162 million over six years. Freeman was also born in Villa Park, California, making Los Angeles pretty close to home. It wasn't just about the money. In his heart, Freeman wanted to be a Dodger.
He's doing the club some big favors this year, too. The 32-year-old is hitting .323 with three home runs and 13 RBIs so far. He owns an on-base percentage of .400 and a hefty .525 slugging percentage. His WAR is already 1.2. Unlike many players settling in with new teams, Freeman is surpassing early expectations.
Freddie Freeman, on the state of the Dodgers after a 20-3 three-game sweep of the Cubs: "It's pretty amazing, 26 games in, that we're not completely clicking and we're 19-7."
"Freddie Freeman, on the state of the Dodgers after a 20-3 three-game sweep of the Cubs: 'It's pretty amazing, 26 games in, that we're not completely clicking and we're 19-7.'" - @Fabian Ardaya
As it turns out, the Dodgers are surpassing Freeman's expectations, too. He said the club "isn't completely clicking [but is] still 19-7." Freeman wasn't calling anyone out when he said so, but he thinks his club is capable of better baseball. It's not smack talk. Freeman is just setting the bar high. He's not wrong about his team, either. The Dodgers have multiple players who are hitting below their career batting averages. Trea Turner has hit .301 over the course of his eight-year career. He's hitting .250 this season. Justin Turner, a career .288 hitter, is batting just .174 this season.
On the pitching side of things, the Dodgers are slightly handicapped. Starting pitcher Andrew Heaney, who owns a 0.67 WHIP across 10.1 innings this season, has been sidelined for almost three weeks now. Bullpen anchor Blake Treinen has been on the ten-day injury list for even longer. Players like these could be grabbing wins for the Dodgers, but the club is doing great without them. They could just be doing better, that's all.