3 Reasons The Braves Would Be Even Better Without Freddie Freeman

Freddie Freeman, the first Atlanta Braves fighter. (Brett Davis-USA Sports TODAY)

The Atlanta Braves let Freddie Freeman go and maybe better for that.

The biggest storyline with the Atlanta Braves this winter is whether Freddie Freeman will return to the only professional organization he’s ever known. Having just won the World Series, they’re practically giving this generation’s Chipper Jones a brand new contract.

Once they enter the MLB penalty area without a new deal, the odds will fluctuate a bit more as the two sides part ways. Rumors swirl around all the long locks. In the end, the Braves blinked first and decided to cut off their deal with the Oakland Athletics to get Matt Olson to play first base.

Freeman is currently a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he hopes to knock out his former team if they meet in the knockout stages. The Braves are still hoping to win it all again this year. In fact, for these three reasons, they might be better off without Freeman.

The Braves Could Have Really Upgraded At The First Base With Matt Olson

Matt Olson is about to have a freaky year with Athletics, where he’s knocked out .271 / .371 / .540 with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs. It was easily his biggest league season yet. Along with some great defensive skills, including a pair of Golden Gloves in the past, the young first soldier could very well have a better season than Freeman.

This is not to discount what Freeman was able to do for the Braves last year or years before that. He is often present in the conversation with the MVP. In his 2020 shortening campaign, he took it home.

Freeman beat .300/.393/.503 for Atlanta last year with 31 home runs and 83 RBI runs. However, as he enters the 32-year-old season with Olson playing this season at the age of 28, there is a high probability that we begin to see the youth of the first two junior players tend to increase with The older trend is down.

The pair could very well enter this season as equals. In the long run, however, Olson is more likely to give the Braves more successful seasons than Freeman can for the Dodgers.