Freddie

Freeman

It’s not every day you see a player make seven outs in a nine-inning game. It’s the third time in his career that Freeman has grounded into two double plays. He’s currently in a 6-for-35 slump that has dropped his OPS from .878 to .742.

“I think that he’s obviously going through it right now and not feeling great at the plate. So sometimes, the different visual, letting the game come to you a little bit before jumping in there in the two, changes your outlook and potentially the results,” Roberts said about moving Tucker down the order. Tucker isn’t exactly struggling at .245/.327/.372, with three homers and three steals, but the Dodgers were hoping for more when he signed his megadeal that pays him $33 million this year and $81 million in 2027 before team options are considered. It’s not a major move for fantasy managers, and arguably even a favorable one given more chances to hit with a runner on base.

Freeman returns to Los Angeles’ lineup for Tuesday’s contest against the Giants after being away from the club on paternity leave for the last two games. The 36-year-old veteran fantasy stalwart has been his usual productive self, slashing .296/.360/.519 with three homers and 14 RBI through 20 games this season.

Freeman will be away from the club for a couple of days as he welcomes a new addition to his family. Ryan Ward was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move to take his spot on the Dodgers’ active roster.

Freeman put the Dodgers on the board early, tagging Jake Irvin for a two-run double in the first inning. He did it again in the second, adding two more runs on another double to collect his fourth RBI of the game. The 36-year-old first baseman has gone 8-for-33 (.242) with two homers and nine RBI across his first eight games.

Freeman took Cleveland stopper Cade Smith deep with two outs in the ninth inning, crushing a gargantuan 407-foot moonshot to straightaway center field to break up a potential shutout. The entire top half of Los Angeles’ loaded lineup has inexplicably gotten off to an ice-cold start to the season. Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, Freeman and Will Smith went a combined 1-for-18 in this one. They’re far too talented to continue flailing and it’s only a matter of time before they get back on track.

Freeman doubled home Kyle Tucker to get the Dodgers on the board in the sixth inning. He was hitless over his first two games, and there should be a few more three-hit efforts from the future Hall of Famer before 2026 comes to a close.

Throughout the spring, the second base position had been framed as a platoon situation between Santiago Espinal and Alex Freeland, so naturally it’s Rojas who gets the start there on Opening Day. It’s likely just manager Dave Roberts respecting and giving the nod to the 37-year-old veteran for Opening Day. Here’s the full lineup against Zac Gallen on Opening Day: Shohei Ohtani (DH), Kyle Tucker (RF), Mookie Betts (SS), Freddie Freeman (1B), Will Smith (C), Max Muncy (3B), Teoscar Hernandez (LF), Andy Pages (CF) and Miguel Rojas (2B).

Roberts has decided to flip Smith and Freddie Freeman against southpaws, likely to prevent having three lefty bats in the top four of the order, now that offseason addition Kyle Tucker is in the mix. It’s a small change for the Dodgers but one that fantasy managers should monitor to see whether it sticks. It would likely result in a few additional run-producing opportunities for Smith.

The homer off Landen Roupp was Freeman’s first of the spring, but he’s now 12-for-28 with a 2/5 K/BB. He’s healthier now after his ankle injury from 2023 lingered into last season, and he’s probably a little underrated for fantasy purposes.