Freddie Freeman is greater than seemingly on his approach to the Corridor of Fame. A decade and a half of stellar regular-season play mixed with some historic postseason performances have made his case fairly air-tight at this level. However there are nonetheless milestones on the horizon as he enters his age-36 season.
The lefty slugger is closing in on 400 homers (367), which he might probably attain in 2026, and 1,500 RBIs (1,322), which he might attain in 2027 or 2028. However farther off, but nonetheless inside attain, is probably essentially the most hallowed milestone for a hitter: 3,000 hits.
Freeman enters 2026 because the energetic hits chief, with 2,431. And he stays a extremely productive hitter, having averaged 181 hits the previous 5 seasons, together with a career-high 211 in 2023. The previous two seasons, nonetheless, he is averaged 158 hits — nonetheless a strong quantity, however effectively under his early-30s manufacturing. The drop-off is usually due to accidents and different points that restricted Freeman to 147 video games in every of the previous two seasons, his lowest whole in a full season since 2017.
Nevertheless, Freeman’s underlying metrics in 2025 would appear to point that there is nonetheless juice within the tank. His 45.7% hard-hit fee was effectively above league common (37%) and even above his profession mark of 44.2%. In the meantime, his wOBA — a model of on-base share that measures how a participant reaches bases somewhat than simply whether or not he reaches base — was .370 and in baseball’s 94th percentile. Digging deeper, Freeman’s anticipated stats additionally remained strong. Particularly, his .349 xwOBA — which elements exit velocity, launch angle and extra — was in baseball’s 82nd percentile.
A key quantity: 150 (however with wiggle room)
Assuming comparatively wholesome seasons over the following few years, Freeman’s path to three,000 hits could possibly be tied to a different particular quantity: 150. As in, 150 hits per season. If he can common 150 hits for the following 4 seasons, concluding with what can be his age-39 season, Freeman can be at 3,031 hits. That is the extra comfy path. However there’s one other path through which he would simply squeak previous the milestone. The quantity tied to that route is 143.
If a median of 150 hits per season over the following 4 years is an enormous ask for a hitter approaching age 40, then a median of 143 hits could possibly be extra doable. In that state of affairs, Freeman would end his age-39 season with 3,003 hits.
It is necessary to notice that Freeman is underneath contract with the Dodgers by means of the 2027 season. However it’s cheap to imagine that if he is nonetheless at the very least considerably productive that he’d have little to no hassle discovering someplace to play in 2028 and 2029, particularly if the three,000-hit mark is inside his grasp.
Ought to Freeman get 3,000 hits, he can be simply the sixth main first baseman to succeed in the mark. Ought to he attain 3,000 whereas additionally having 400 or extra homers, he can be simply the fourth main first baseman to take action. Ought to he attain 3,000 hits, 400 homers and keep his .300 profession common, he’d be the one first baseman to do this and simply the fifth participant at any place to do it, becoming a member of Cabrera, Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. That may be inner-circle greatness.
Once more, Freeman already has a superb Corridor of Fame case even with out 3,000 hits. However the pursuit will give an additional dose of drama to the ultimate years of an distinctive profession.
