After playing his first (unofficial) game at SunTrust Park on Friday, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman already knows his favorite thing about the new stadium.
“375 to right-center,” Freeman said, smiling.
That’s where Freeman’s three-run homer against Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda sailed over the 16-foot high wall. He figures that hit would have been a double at Turner Field, where the right-center wall was 385 feet from home plate.
The homer was the latest sign that Freeman will be healthy when the Braves open the season on Monday at the Mets. A sore right wrist sent Freeman to the disabled list twice during the 2015 season and lingering issues with it contributed to his slow start in 2016.
This year he said he will have no physical issues on opening day.
“Last year I never knew if my wrist was going to hold up,” Freeman said. “Obviously it took some time for me to get everything feeling like I could go out every day and get my work in and nothing be wrong. Coming through a full, healthy spring training with my mind clear of injuries, it was nice.”
Freeman’s first two months in 2016 were subpar by his standards but he recovered and went on to post the best season of his six full major-league seasons. Freeman hit 302 with a .400 on-base percentage while clubbing a career-high 34 home runs.
For this spring Freeman was 23-for-46 (.500) with two home runs, five strikeouts and four walks.
