Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is a remarkably quick starter.
Freeman has six walks and a home run in his first 10 plate appearances. That walk total is the most in franchise history since at least 1908 over the first two games.
The last major leaguer with six walks in the first two games was the Phillies’ Von Hayes in 1990. The last Brave to be walked five times in the first two games was Chipper Jones in 2007.
The early production is nothing new for the Braves’ All-Star first baseman.
In the first month of 2017, Freeman hit .381 with nine home runs. His 1.326 OPS across March and April in the past two seasons is the league’s second-best mark, trailing the Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman (1.345).
“That’s Freddie. He’s a good hitter for a reason,” said right fielder Nick Markakis, who’s hit behind Freeman in the first two games. “He sees the ball well and puts good swings on the ball. That’s what makes him good.”
It’s not just Freeman’s bat that’s had impact. In the eighth inning of Friday’s game, he advanced from first to third on a Markakis groundout because he noticed no one was manning third.
He scored on Preston Tucker’s single, tying the game at 4-4. It was his fourth run scored in two games.
“He does so many things to help us win games, it’s not just hitting,” shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “Defensively and also running the bases.
“I think that’s something that everybody thinks that a guy that big and that plays first base can’t run the bases, but he’s real smart. So he’s definitely going to give us an opportunity to put us in position to be able to drive him in, so that’s something that we’ll continue to work toward and hopefully it’ll work in our favor.”
With pitchers doing their best to avoid Freeman, the pressure falls on those behind him.
“They’re going to have to go. They’re going to have to come up big for us,” manager Brian Snitker said of his other hitters. “(Walking Freeman) is a distinct possibility. We knew that coming in.”
Freeman was considered a darkhorse MVP candidate by some entering the season. He’ll get more of an opportunity to put up worthy numbers as those around him hit their stride.
“They’re trying to nibble with him,” Markakis said. “Hopefully sooner or later we’ll get things rolling and they’ll have to pitch to him.”
