Freeman reaches long-awaited goal of 200-hit season

LOS ANGELES -- Freddie Freeman was within arm’s reach of a career-long goal in 2022. Heading into Game 162, the first baseman was four hits shy of 200 on the season.

He went 3-for-4, finishing the campaign with 199.

One year on, in his 14th big league season, Freeman has finally realized that achievement. His 200th hit of 2023 was a first-inning single in a 5-1 loss to the Giants on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

• Games remaining (9): vs. SF (2), at COL (4), at SF (3)
• Standings update: The Dodgers (94-59) clinched the NL West title on Saturday. They trail the Braves (99-55) by 4 1/2 games for the No. 1 seed in the National League. They lead the Brewers (88-66) by 6 1/2 games for a bye in the NL Wild Card round.
• Magic number: 2 for a bye in the NL Wild Card round

As the grounder made its way through the right side of the infield, the crowd rose to its feet, and a clearly emotional Freeman took a moment to tip his helmet before gathering himself to shift his focus to baserunning. He picked up hit No. 201 in the eighth, an RBI single for the Dodgers’ sole run.

“I've always had sights set on it,” Freeman said. “Two hundred just means that you're in there a lot, you're healthy, you’re playing every day, and you had a pretty good year. So 200 is definitely pretty cool.”

The milestone is a nice addition to what’s been one of the best years of Freeman’s MLB tenure. Freeman, who turned 34 on Sept. 12, is on track for his highest batting average and OBP in a full season (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020, when he won the NL MVP Award). He’s set career highs in stolen bases (21), runs scored (125) and doubles (56) -- giving him a realistic shot at the AL/NL’s first 60-double season since 1936.

What he’s doing is unusual for someone at his position, too, as Freeman is the first first baseman in AL/NL history with 200 hits, 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season.

“I think this season, as a whole, it's unprecedented,” said manager Dave Roberts. “If you look at the hits, the average, the home runs, the doubles, the stolen bases by position. … It seems like every night, we're always tipping our cap to Freddie on some accomplishment, and that's fantastic.”

There’s not much left for Freeman to achieve at this point. He’s an MVP, a seven-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger, a Gold Glover and a World Series champion with the Braves in 2021. But one thing he’d still like to do? Win a batting title.

Freeman has come close, finishing in the top three four times in his career -- including in 2022, when he finished at .325, just one point behind the Mets’ Jeff McNeil. It looks like Freeman’s going to have to wait another year to try for that, though. With his two-hit effort on Friday, he’s batting .334, trailing NL Leader, the Marlins’ Luis Arraez, at .354 (as well as Ronald Acuña Jr., at .337).

In the meantime, Freeman will have to settle for an extremely productive season at the plate, one in which he -- along with leadoff hitter Mookie Betts -- has paced the Dodgers’ offense. His steady presence is a major part of why they won their 10th NL West title in the past 11 seasons. The Dodgers are hoping it will also help them to a deep postseason run.

“We’ve still got nine games left, so hopefully, we can add onto it,” said Freeman. “But as of right now, nine games to go, it's hard not to say it’s been a pretty good year.”