Draft and minor leagues The
Atlanta Braves selected Freeman in the second round, with the 78th overall selection, of the
2007 MLB draft. Freeman signed with the team for $409,500, forgoing his college scholarship. He made his professional debut with the
Gulf Coast Braves in 2007 and played for the
Rome Braves of the
Class A South Atlantic League in 2008. He was named the Braves' fifth-best prospect according to
Baseball America before the 2009 season. Freeman started the 2009 season with the
Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the
Class A-Advanced Carolina League and was promoted to the
Mississippi Braves of the
Class AA Southern League during the season.
Baseball America ranked Freeman the 11th-best prospect overall in their 2009 mid-season top 25. In August 2009, he suffered a wrist injury. After the 2009 season ended, Freeman joined the
Peoria Saguaros of the
Arizona Fall League. He began the 2010 season with the
Gwinnett Braves of the
Class AAA International League.
Atlanta Braves (2010–2021) 2010 Freeman was called up to the Braves on September 1, 2010, as part of the team's September call-ups, and made his MLB debut that same day. On September 5, 2010, he got his first career MLB hit off
Florida Marlins pitcher
Clay Hensley, and on September 21, 2010, he hit his first MLB
home run off
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher
Roy Halladay. He played 20 games with the Braves and batted .167. Freeman was not a part of the Braves' playoff roster. He returned to the Arizona Fall League, this time to play for the
Phoenix Desert Dogs.
2011 Freeman began the 2011 season as the starting first baseman for the Braves. After a slow start, his performance improved and he had been mentioned as a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year. On July 4, 2011, Freeman hit two home runs against the Colorado Rockies, for his first multi-home run game. Freeman was the first Braves rookie to reach 50 RBIs by July 18 since
Hank Aaron accomplished this feat in 1954. He was named NL rookie of the month for July; during that month, Freeman led all Major League rookies with 38 hits, a .362 batting average, and a.433 on-base percentage in 27 games. He also led all NL rookies with six homers and 17 runs. His 18 RBIs tied for the most in the NL among rookies. In August, Freeman and
Dan Uggla became the first members of the Braves to have concurrent twenty-game
hitting streaks in the modern era. Freeman's streak ended at 20 games on August 7. Freeman finished the 2011 year batting .282 with 32 doubles, 21 home runs, and 76 RBI in 157 games played. Kimbrel and Freeman were the first teammates to finish first and second since 1989, when the Chicago Cubs'
Jerome Walton and
Dwight Smith came in first and second. The only other time two Braves finished in the top five, the organization was still located in Milwaukee—
Gene Conley was voted third-best rookie of the 1954 season;
Hank Aaron came in fourth.
2013 In 2013, Freeman was selected as a finalist for the
2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Final Vote, where he won with a record-setting total of 19.7 million fan votes, but was unable to play because of a thumb injury suffered three days before the game. Freeman finished the 2013 season with a .319 batting average, along with 23 homers and 109 RBI in 147 games played. He finished fifth on the
National League Most Valuable Player award voting.
2014 On February 4, 2014, Freeman agreed to an eight-year, $135 million extension. Freeman was named an All-Star for the second time in 2014, and played the last three innings of the game. He led the team in batting average and on-base plus slugging percentage in 2014. Freeman also set a franchise record for innings played. During a game against the
Philadelphia Phillies on June 27, 2014, Freeman hit a three-run homer off
Kyle Kendrick to left center field caught by broadcaster
Tom McCarthy. Freeman finished the 2014 year by appearing in all 162 games batting .288 with 90 walks, 43 doubles, 18 home runs, and 78 RBI. He missed the June 18 game against the
Boston Red Sox, ending a streak of 234 consecutive games played, which led the majors at the time. Freeman was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 23, and received a
platelet-rich plasma injection soon afterward. He was eligible for activation on July 3, but did not return to action until July 28, three days after he was removed from the disabled list. For the season, Freeman hit for a .276 batting average with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs in 118 games, his fewest played since 2011.
2016 General manager
John Coppolella became responsible for the team's transactions in the 2014–15 off-season, and played a large role in the Braves' rebuild, trading away many players. However, during the 2015–16 off-season, Coppolella repeatedly stated he would not trade Freeman. At the beginning of the 2016 season, Freeman was expected to lead the team on the field, despite the wrist injury the previous year adversely affecting his off-season preparations. On June 15, Freeman
hit his first career cycle in a 9–8 victory against the
Cincinnati Reds. He was named National League Player of the Week soon after that performance. Freeman recorded his first 30-home run season in 2016, reaching that mark on September 13, That same day he also drove in the 500th run of his career. On September 29, Freeman's 30-game hitting streak, which had begun on August 24, was halted with an 0–4 night against the
Philadelphia Phillies. It had been a part of a larger 46-game run of getting on base, which also ended. During the penultimate week of the regular season, Freeman again was recognized as Player of the Week, and named National League Player of the Month for September at the end of the year. Overall in 2016, Freeman played 158 games with a .302 batting average, 43 doubles, 34 home runs, and 91 RBI. He finished sixth on the
National League Most Valuable Player award voting.
2017 Freeman was the starting first baseman on Opening Day against the
New York Mets, going 3–4, including a triple. In the first game at
SunTrust Park, Freeman doubled in a couple of runs. He continued to tear up Padres pitching, hitting three homers in the series. On April 19 against the
Washington Nationals, he set a franchise record for most consecutive plate appearances to get on base with a solo homer. On May 17, Freeman was hit by a pitch from
Aaron Loup of Toronto, resulting in him leaving the game. An MRI and CT scan later revealed a non-displaced wrist fracture in his left hand, ruling him out for up to 10 weeks. At the time, Freeman was an early candidate for the MVP award, leading the league in home runs with 14, and ranking second in both on-base and slugging percentage. While rehabilitating his hand injury, Freeman stated in June 2017 that he offered to play third base upon his return, because his replacement at first base,
Matt Adams, was hitting well. On July 1, Freeman appeared with the Triple-A
Gwinnett Braves on a rehab assignment in which he played third base. Three days later, he returned to Atlanta, and started at third base against the
Houston Astros. Freeman recorded his 1,000th career hit in a game against the Washington Nationals on July 6. Braves manager
Brian Snitker stated in August that Freeman would no longer play third base regularly, as injuries to other players necessitated late-season promotions and allowed Freeman to return to first base. Freeman finished the season batting .307 with 28 home runs and 71 RBIs despite only playing in 117 games, his lowest total since 2010.
2018 Freeman underwent
LASIK surgery in October 2017, to correct vision problems that had manifested since 2012. He was selected to his third
All-Star game as the National League's starting first baseman. He also accepted an invitation to participate in the
2018 Home Run Derby. Freeman finished the regular season as the National League leader in base hits with 191. Only
Whit Merrifield had more in Major League Baseball. He also finished as the Braves' team leader in batting average (.309), on-base percentage (.388), slugging percentage (.505), doubles (44), walks (76), and RBIs (98). For the season, he led all major league hitters in
line drive percentage (32.3%). Freeman, along with
Anthony Rizzo of the
Chicago Cubs, won the 2018
Gold Glove for first base in the National League. Freeman's teammates
Ender Inciarte and
Nick Markakis won the same award for center field and right field, respectively, marking the first time that three Atlanta Braves had won the honor in the same season. Additionally, Freeman received the 2018
Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award and finished fourth in the
National League Most Valuable Player award voting.
2019 At midseason, Freeman was selected as the National League starter at first base in the
2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The appearance was his second consecutive start in the game and his fourth All-Star Game selection overall. In 2019 Freeman batted .295/.389/.549 with 38 home runs and 121 RBIs and led all NL hitters in
line drive percentage (27.5%). Freeman and teammates
Ronald Acuña Jr. and
Ozzie Albies won the 2019 National League
Silver Slugger Awards for first base, the outfield, and second base, respectively and Freeman also won the
Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second consecutive season. On October 18, it was revealed he had undergone right elbow surgery to remove a bone spur. Freeman admitted the spur had bothered him in recent years. It was first discovered on September 13.
2020: NL MVP Freeman tested positive for
COVID-19 in July 2020, before the season began. He was one of the few symptomatic MLB patients, experiencing a loss of smell and a high fever. He recovered in time to participate in some training camp activities, held before the
shortened season's Opening Day. Freeman hit his first career
grand slam on September 4, in the second game of a doubleheader against the
Washington Nationals off pitcher
Tanner Rainey. Two days later, he hit another grand slam, against Nationals pitcher
Kyle Finnegan. On September 9, he reached 1,500 career hits with a home run. During that same game against the
Miami Marlins, he set a career-high by driving in six runs. Freeman finished the shortened 60-game regular season hitting .341 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs. He was named the
NL MVP, becoming the first Braves player to win the award since
Chipper Jones in 1999. Freeman was also voted the
Baseball Digest MLB Player of the Year,
Baseball America Player of the Year,
MLBPA Player's Choice Player of the Year, and
MLBPA Player's Choice NL Outstanding Player. Additionally, he was awarded the 2020 NL
Hank Aaron Award, becoming the second player in franchise history to win the award, following
Andruw Jones in 2005.
2021: First World Series championship Freeman was named the National League's starting first baseman for the
2021 All-Star Game. On August 18, he
hit for the cycle against the Marlins. This was the fourth time an Atlanta Braves player had done it, the second time for Freeman, and only the ninth time in Braves' history. His second career cycle improved his batting average to .301. Freeman finished the season with a .300 batting average, a .896 OPS, and 31 home runs. The 2021 Braves became the second team in MLB history for which each starting infielder hit at least 25 home runs. On October 12, Freeman hit what would turn out to be the game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning in a tied
National League Division Series game four against the
Milwaukee Brewers. This home run in a knotted 4–4 ballgame allowed the Braves to advance to the
National League Championship Series for the second consecutive year. The Braves faced the
Houston Astros in the
World Series. In Game 5, Freeman hit a 460-foot home run. The Braves defeated the Astros in six games, with Freeman recording the final putout of the Series. He joined Hank Aaron, Chipper Jones, and
Johnny Evers as the only Braves to win a World Series and an MVP award. The last year of Freeman's contract with the Braves was 2021, and he was widely expected to remain with the Braves. Freeman stated a desire to remain with the Braves for his whole career. Freeman and the Braves had exchanged offers for a new contract during the 2021 season, including a five-year, $125 million offer the Braves made before the
trade deadline. Freeman declined the Braves' qualifying offer following the season and became a
free agent for the first time in his career. During the offseason, the Braves reportedly increased their offer to five years and $140 million, but Freeman and his agent insisted on a sixth year. Freeman's agent gave the Braves an ultimatum, offering them two proposals and giving them one hour to accept one of them. The Braves declined both and pulled their offer off the table. The following day, the Braves acquired first baseman
Matt Olson from the
Oakland Athletics and signed Olson to an eight-year extension, effectively closing the door on Freeman's tenure as a Brave.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2022–present) Other teams pursued Freeman during the offseason, including the
Los Angeles Dodgers, and, with no future in Atlanta, Freeman opted to return home to Southern California. On March 18, 2022, he signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers.
2022 Freeman made his Dodgers debut on April 8, 2022, batting second in the lineup and going 1–3 with a walk against the
Colorado Rockies. On April 18, before a game between the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at
Dodger Stadium, Freeman was presented his 2021 Silver Slugger Award, with Braves manager Brian Snitker and hitting coach
Kevin Seitzer attending the ceremony. In the game that followed, Freeman hit his first home run as a Dodger in what was also his first career at-bat against his former team. Freeman was presented his
World Series ring before the Dodgers played the Braves at
Truist Park on June 24. Several days later,
Doug Gottlieb falsely reported that Freeman had fired his agent and management team. Freeman was named an
All-Star on July 17, replacing
Starling Marte on the National League roster. In 159 games in 2022, Freeman led MLB with 199 hits and 47 doubles as well as leading the majors in
line drive percentage (27.5%). His batting average was second in the National League at .325 and he had 21 home runs and 100 RBI.
2023 On May 18, 2023, Freeman hit his 300th career home run, a grand slam off of
Génesis Cabrera of the
St. Louis Cardinals. About a month later, Freeman earned his 2,000th career hit, becoming the 295th MLB player to do so. At midseason, Freeman was named starting first baseman for the National League in the
All-Star Game, his third consecutive selection. On September 8, Freeman hit his 53rd double of the season breaking the Dodgers franchise record held by
Johnny Frederick with the
1929 Brooklyn Robins. On September 22 against the
San Francisco Giants, he picked up his 200th hit of the season, the first Dodger to do so since
Adrián Beltré in
2004. He became the only first baseman in history to have 20 home runs, 20 steals, and 200 hits in the same season. In 161 games, Freeman finished with a .331 batting average, 211 hits, 29 home runs, 102 RBI, 102 runs scored, and an MLB-leading 59 doubles. Defensively, he committed only one error in 1,260
total chances in 1,378 innings played for a league-leading .999
fielding percentage at his position. Freeman hit his sixth career grand slam against pitcher
Slade Cecconi. Freeman hit another grand slam on July 19 against
Boston Red Sox pitcher
Brennan Bernardino. He played in his fourth consecutive
All-Star Game. However, his three-year-old son came down with a viral infection during the event and was later paralyzed, hospitalized, and put on a ventilator. Freeman missed 8 games to care for his son. He played in 147 games, with 22 home runs, 89 RBI, and a .282 batting average, his lowest since the
2015 season. He still managed to play in four of the five games, batting .286 (four hits in 14 at-bats). The injury continued to bother him in the
NLCS, as he had just three hits in four games (.167 average) and was not in the lineup for the clinching Game 6. In Game 1 of the
World Series, while still feeling the effects of the ankle injury, Freeman hit a
walk-off grand slam—the first in a World Series game—off
Nestor Cortés of the
New York Yankees. He then hit homers in Games 2, 3, and 4 of the Series, becoming the first player to homer in the first four games of a World Series. He also extended his streak of World Series games with a home run to six, a record, while hitting .300 with six runs scored and a triple in the series. His 12 RBI in the series set a franchise record and tied the World Series record set in 1960 by
Bobby Richardson. The Dodgers won the Series in five games, and Freeman received the
World Series Most Valuable Player Award. Freeman underwent surgery on his injured ankle after the season.
2025: Third World Series championship Freeman was initially in the lineup for the
Tokyo Series to start the 2025 season but was scratched from Game 1 due to left rib discomfort. He hit his 350th career home run off pitcher
Sandy Alcántara on May 5. On May 12, Freeman was named the NL Player of the Week for May 5–May 11 after going 12-for-24 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and seven extra base hits. Fans selected him to start the
All-Star Game, his fifth start. He finished the season with a slash line of .295/.367/.502 with 24 home runs and 90 RBI in 147 games. Overall, in the seven game series, he had six hits in 29 at-bats (.207 average) as the Dodgers defeated the Blue Jays to repeat as champions and give Freeman his third-career World Series championship. ==International career==