Dodgers sign Freddie Freeman to 6-year, $162 million contract

The Dodgers signed first baseman Freddie Freeman to a six-year, $162 million contract that was finalized on March 18, the day of the first spring training game.

The press conference to introduce Freeman was at the balcony on the second floor of the Dodgers’ team offices at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, overlooking the field about an hour before the Dodgers had a game.

“Everyone knows that I’m from Southern California,” said Freeman, who played baseball at El Modena High School in Orange. “When it came down to picking a team at the end, I have a 67-year-old dad and I got an 86-year-old grandfather, that’s now going to be able to watch me play every single day.”

What the Dodgers get is a highly productive hitter who hit .300/.393/.503 with 31 home runs and a 133 OPS+ for the World Series champion Braves in 2021. Freeman won National League MVP in 2020 — his new teammate Mookie Betts finished second — and is a five-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

Freeman adds to an already potent Dodgers offense.

“There’s a lot of All-Stars up and down that lineup, but you’ve still got to go out and play. We do have a really talented roster and lineup,” Freeman said during his introductory press conference. “It should be fun. Hopefully we score a lot of runs, because we’ve got the guys to be able to do it.”

To make room on the 40-man roster for Freeman, the Dodgers placed pitcher Danny Duffy — who signed a one-year contract earlier in the day — on the 60-day injured list.