PITTSBURGH -- David Freese walked up to the plate Friday night at PNC Park to “Stinkfist” by Tool, just as he often did for the Pirates the past three seasons. But he stepped into the batter’s box wearing Dodger blue, not black and gold, and the sign on the PNC Park scoreboard read, “Thank you, David.”

The crowd offered a brief round of applause, and Freese responded by ripping a grand slam to center field in his return to Pittsburgh. Freese’s fourth home run of the season came off Pirates opener Michael Feliz and put the Dodgers ahead, 5-0, in the first inning of the series opener. 

Last Aug. 31, Freese had no idea he’d be a Dodger at all. He thought he would finish out the season with the Pirates, who originally signed him in March 2016, then maybe call it a career. But just before the midnight deadline to acquire players so that they are eligible for the postseason, the Pirates sent Freese to the Dodgers in exchange for Minor League infielder Jesus Manuel Valdez. 

“I wanted to just finish the year out, but in hindsight, man, I’m glad I didn’t,” Freese said Friday afternoon. “Neal [Huntington, Pirates general manager] threw me to L.A., and I got a chance to play another year, make some more money and try and do it again. It’s been crazy this last six, eight months.” 

Freese arrived in Los Angeles Sept. 1 and started at first base that night at Dodger Stadium. He found a fit with Los Angeles and re-signed for one year and $4.5 million. 

“It was a rush. I was fired up,” Freese said. “I played well enough and I fit here enough to where the money was there, and I took it. It was nuts. You get there Sept. 1, and then a month later you’re playing [in Game] 163, and then you’re going to Atlanta, you’re going to Milwaukee and then you’ve got to deal with Boston. I got to lose another World Series to Boston. 

“Being a Dodger’s wild. It’s a whole different feel. You’re on stage basically 81 games a year, that’s what it feels like when you’re at home. It’s a blast, man. I love this organization. I love this group. Just a good fit. Obviously, I never thought I’d be a Dodger. That night, Aug. 31, was wild. I’m in the lineup the next day, so I had to get ready quick.” 

Freese still has a soft spot for Pittsburgh, especially for his former teammates. He laughed when a reporter asked him if he visited the Crazy Mocha coffee shop where he and his wife, Mairin, quietly got married in September 2016. He hadn’t, but he did enjoy some Driftwood Oven pizza with a few Pittsburgh players after he arrived Thursday night. 

“I always come back to the guys. I love my teammates over there. I think we had a great time,” Freese said. “I could have been a better teammate at times. I could have been a better leader. I’m not going to get into what I didn’t like or any of that. I’ve got a handful of guys that I’ll talk to the rest of my life over here. I love the city.”