The Los Angeles Dodgers have three historically great players to open their lineup for Tuesday’s spring training game.
Mookie Betts, the AL MVP of the 2018 season, 2021 and 2023 AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, and 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman are 1-2-3 in the batting order.
Wait, what is this?
MLB The Show?
Nope, it’s the real life: the Dodgers showed Ohtani 700 million reasons to come to LA and form the trio.
But why in that particular order?
Why not Betts, or Ohtani, hitting third?
Why not leading off with Freeman or Ohtani?
Manager Dave Roberts has his reasons, and they are solid.
“Dave Roberts indicated today that this is probably what the Dodgers will be going with at least to start the season. Pointed to the offensive profiles of the players and Freddie Freeman’s bat-to-ball skills as a reason why he wants him behind Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani,” Dodgers insider Fabian Ardaya tweeted.
Dave Roberts indicated today that this is probably what the Dodgers will be going with at least to start the season. Pointed to the offensive profiles of the players and Freddie Freeman’s bat-to-ball skills as a reason why he wants him behind Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani. https://t.co/qCyc4LedrX
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 27, 2024
Roberts’ idea appears to be having people with high OBP in the first two spots and then someone who can drive them in.
That “someone” hitting third has to have elite bat-to-ball skills, double and home run power, and some patience to wait for the best pitches to hit.
Freeman happens to fulfill all the criteria.
If that’s the arrangement for the whole season, he could be poised to set a career-high in RBI.
He had 121 in 2019, but hitting behind those two monsters, it could be 130 or more.
Freeman hit 59 doubles and 29 home runs last year and should be in for a magnificent season once again in 2024.
Oh, and he also had a .331 batting average.
Those three will wreak havoc on opposing pitchers on a daily basis.
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