Hernández: Freddie Freeman signing could power Dodgers into baseball’s legendary realm

They’ve extra energy than the 1927 New York Yankees. They’ve the depth of the Huge Purple Machine, however with a chosen hitter of their lineup as an alternative of a pitcher.

The 2022 Dodgers have an opportunity to be a brand new benchmark on this nation’s longest-running skilled sports activities league.

They don’t have the pitching to be the best group of all-time, however they’ve the weapons to be the best offense within the historical past of the sport.

The franchise of Sandy Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela and Clayton Kershaw is now the group of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy.

“It’s going to be cool to look again and say this can be a lineup that I used to be part of,” outfielder AJ Pollock mentioned Thursday, a day after the Dodgers agreed to a six-year, $162-million contract with Freeman.

Need energy?

The Blue Bombers have eight hitters who clubbed 20 or extra residence runs final season and one other who smacked 19.

Need pace?

They’ve Betts and Trea Turner.

Need consistency?

That’s the place Freeman is available in, the previous Nationwide League MVP lacking a mixed seven video games during the last 4 seasons.

“When you go throughout the place gamers, we’ve obtained mainly 9 All-Stars,” Kershaw mentioned.

Will Smith, the one non-All-Star within the projected common beginning lineup, is positioned to earn the consideration this 12 months. The 26-year-old Smith is the best-hitting catcher within the Nationwide League.

Kershaw shook his head when requested about his group’s acquisition of Freeman.

“I nonetheless didn’t imagine it,” he mentioned.

Seated in entrance of his locker, Kershaw continued, “Freddie is likely to be the very best hitter within the sport. It’s shut. He’s up there. Freddie, Juan Soto, Mookie.”

He smiled.

“We’ve two of them,” Kershaw mentioned.

Additionally they have three former MVPs within the order in Freeman, Betts and Cody Bellinger. Kershaw can also be a former MVP.

There are stars all over the place.

“Truthfully, you come right here and also you type of get used to it,” Pollock mentioned. “You get used to taking part in with superstars and guys which can be unbelievable hitters, unbelievable gamers. Now, we’ve obtained one other man.”

Supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned that within the days earlier than the Dodgers struck their cope with Freeman, he drew up potential lineups. He wouldn’t expose specifics, however mentioned, “The lineup’s pretty much as good a lineup as I’ve ever seen.”

Right here’s what it may seem like:

The addition of Freeman decreases the burdens on Muncy and Bellinger to be the group’s left-handed-hitting catalysts. Muncy is recovering from an elbow damage that sidelined him for the playoffs whereas Bellinger is coming off a season wherein he batted .165.

Freeman’s presence may assist counter the highest right-handers within the division, together with Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove of the San Diego Padres and Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants. Within the postseason, the Dodgers may face the likes of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer of the New York Mets or Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff of the Milwaukee Brewers.

With Freeman now the group’s first baseman, Muncy is predicted to play primarily at second base whereas sometimes beginning at third base or because the designated hitter. Freeman will seemingly transfer into the No. 2 spot within the order beforehand occupied by the departed Corey Seager. A number of established hitters will probably be bumped down a spot or extra within the lineup, however Muncy mentioned that wouldn’t be an issue.

Muncy mentioned of Freeman, “He makes our lineup so harmful. He’s going to be enjoyable to look at on a nightly foundation, however on high of that, he offers us a greater probability to win one other World Collection. And that’s what we’re all about right here, is profitable. There’s not one individual in right here that didn’t need him.”

The power of Muncy, Taylor and Gavin Lux to play a number of positions will keep the group’s trademark flexibility.

The Dodgers scored a NL-leading 830 runs and have been the one NL group that ranked within the high 5 within the majors in scoring. They may now be taking part in with a chosen hitter. They will even have a model of Bellinger who will probably be one other 12 months faraway from a shoulder operation that restricted him final 12 months. And they’re substituting the often-injured Seager for the extra sturdy Freeman.

They’ve questions on their rotation depth and bullpen, however the Dodgers may rating sufficient to not make any of that matter.

“We must always grind groups, we should always go deep into ‘pens, we should always rating runs,” Roberts mentioned. “It simply permits for not probably redlining starters or relievers and provides you extra latitude or flexibility by scoring runs.”

In fact, at this stage, the whole lot is theoretical.

“We’ve set to work collectively and are available collectively as a group as a result of there are some issues about tradition and chemistry and issues like that that you need to work on,” Kershaw mentioned. “We are able to’t simply assume that as a result of we’ve obtained 9 of the very best gamers within the sport working on the market day-after-day that we’re going to win. We’ve set to work on that. And we are going to.”

As a result of essentially the most distinguished locations in historical past are reserved for groups that win.

The Dodgers’ offense will probably be excellent, even perhaps nice. A championship may make it legendary.