Page 117 - 2021 ATL Media Guide

FREDDIE FREEMAN
• Ranked third in the N.L. with 73 hits, • Pittsburgh’s Paul Waner (33 in 1932) has
trailing the totals of Trea Turner (78) and the major-league doubles record through FRONT OFFICE
Marcell Ozuna (77)…Recorded his 1,500th the first 60 games of a season.
career hit with a two-run home run on • Moved to the No. 2 spot in the lineup on 8/16
9/9 vs. Miami...Only seven Braves have for six games, and went back on 8/31, where he
reached that milestone – Hank Aaron hit from the remainder of the season...Batted
(3,600), Chipper Jones (2,726), Eddie .390/.512/.690 (39-for-100) with 18 extra-base
Mathews (2,201), Dale Murphy (1,901), hits (12 2B, 6 HR) and 25 RBI in 26 regular-season
Rabbit Maranville (1,696), Andruw Jones games, all starts, from the No. 2 spot.
(1,683) and Tommy Holmes (1,503)... • The Braves went 17-9 (.654) in those MANAGER & STAFF
Freeman was the 26th active player to games and averaged 6.5 runs per game.
record his 1,500th career hit. • Freeman had just one start in the No. 2
• Posted career-bests in batting average (.341), on- spot in his first 10 big-league seasons…On
base percentage (.462) and slugging percentage 4/6/11 vs. Milwaukee, he went 0-for-4.
(.640)…Those totals equate to a 1.102 OPS…In • Hit .462 (18-for-39) with three doubles, one triple
modern Braves franchise history (since 1900), and five home runs when putting the first pitch of
only 2B Rogers Hornsby produced a higher OPS an at-bat in play. FREDDIE FREEMAN
in a season…The Hall of Famer had a 1.130 OPS in
1928 with Boston, the only season of his 23-year • His 18 hits in those situations were the
career in the Braves organization. second most in baseball…San Diego’s
Fernando Tatis Jr. had 19...Freeman has
• Freeman placed second in the majors 340 of these hits since his first full season
to the Nationals’ Juan Soto in all four of in 2011, also second most in the majors
those categories (BA, OBP, SLG, OPS)… (Altuve, 402).
Soto played in 13 fewer games and had 66
fewer plate appearances…Soto finished • Had a 33-game on-base streak, the longest in SEASON IN REVIEW
with 2.4 fWAR, while Freeman had a the majors in 2020 and second longest of his
major-league-best 3.4 fWAR. career (46 games, 8/6-9/28/16)...It was a stretch
that lasted from 8/11-9/18...He hit .403/.516/.718
• Finished in the top four of the majors in runs (51), (50-for-124) with eight home runs and 36 RBI in
hits (73), doubles (23), RBI (53) and walks (45)... that time.
Since RBI became an official stat in 1920, the only
other player to finish in the top four in the majors • Within that, he had a season-best 18-
in each of those categories was the Yankees’ Lou game hitting streak, the longest in the PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Gehrig in 1927...The Hall of Famer won his first of N.L. last season, and second longest
two MVP awards that season. in the majors (José Abreu, 22 games)…
The stretch, which lasted from 8/14-9/4,
• Named the N.L. Player of the Month for was the third longest such streak of his
September after hitting .375/.496/.750 (36-for- career…He batted .394 (26-for-66) in that
96) in 26 games with a majors-most 12 doubles time with more walks (14) than strikeouts
and 20 extra-base hits (12 2B, 8 HR).
(10).
• Had 32 RBI in the month, one off the • His longer hitting streaks were a 20-game
league lead held by teammate Marcell stretch in 2011 (7/17-8/6) and a career- BRAVES HISTORY
Ozuna (33)...Freeman is the only player in best 30-game stretch in 2016 (8/24-9/28)
Atlanta-era history (since 1966) to twice
drive in 30 runs in a calendar month...He • Freeman owns four of the Braves’ eight
also did so in June 2019, when he had longest hitting streaks since his first full
a record 33 RBI, which was matched by season in 2011.
Ozuna last September. • Reached base three or more times in 22 games,
easily the most in baseball...His six games
• That was the second monthly award OPPONENTS
of Freeman’s career...He won the same reaching at least four times were tied for the
award in September 2016. majors lead with San Francisco’s Brandon Belt,
New York-AL’s DJ LeMahieu and Washington’s
• His 23 doubles were the most by any Atlanta- Juan Soto.
era player (since '66) through the first 60 games
of a season...Only two other players in modern • Batted .423/.583/.885 (22-for-52) with runners in
franchise history had more through this period... scoring position, placing either first or second in
Boston’s Red Worthington had 27 in 1932, and the majors in each of those categories.
Hank Aaron had 24 in 1959. MISCELLANEOUS

2021 ATLANTA BRAVES MEDIA GUIDE 117