The Atlanta Braves are on top of the baseball world in 2021.
It took the Braves six games to knock off the Houston Astros in the World Series, giving Atlanta its first title since 1995.
The Braves got contributions from a wide variety of players throughout their postseason run, but right now, we’re going to talk about one individual in particular: Freddie Freeman.
The veteran had an unforgettable showing in the 2021 playoffs, and as a result, he can finally say that he’s a World Series champion.
That’s a distinction that Freeman has been trying to obtain for years, but at long last, it’s finally true.
He deserves every bit of it.
Freeman Put On A Show In the Playoffs
By the time the Braves got the final out against the Astros, Freeman had completely emptied the tank.
He left everything on the field, giving his team the best possible chance at winning it all.
Let’s take a look at what he accomplished in the 2021 playoffs.
For starters, here’s a crazy stat: Of Atlanta’s final 10 postseason games, Freeman recorded a hit in nine.
The only game in that span in which Freeman didn’t record a hit was Game 6 of the NLCS, and he walked four times in that contest.
4+ walks in a potential clinch #MLB #Postseason game ⬇️
Fred Clarke (PIT, 1909 WS G7)
Ross Youngs (NYG, 1924 WS G7)
Babe Ruth (NYY, 1926 WS G7)
Bernie Williams (NYY, 1995 ALDS G5)
David Ortiz (BOS, 2013 WS G6)
Freddie Freeman (ATL, 2021 NLDS G6) pic.twitter.com/1A6iHXdQee— Ahaan Rungta (@AhaanRungta) October 24, 2021
Overall, he finished the playoffs with a slash line of .315/.415/.648.
For those of you doing the math at home, that’s a 1.064 OPS.
It was a 15-game postseason for Atlanta.
Freeman appeared in all of the games, and he racked up five home runs, three doubles, and 11 runs batted in along the way.
Freddie Freeman World Champion.
What a moment. pic.twitter.com/m0DQTyN3GP
— MLB (@MLB) November 3, 2021
To finish the job, he went on a six-game hitting streak in the World Series, batting .318 with a .996 OPS against Houston.
Iconic.
With This Title, Freeman’s Legacy Can Never Be Questioned
Freeman has long been deserving of a championship.
He has had a fantastic career, and prior to this season, the only thing missing was a title.
Now he’s got one.
In all seriousness, really happy for Freddie Freeman. If anyone deserves this World Series title, it's him. Been an incredible player for so many years with that team and you could see how much it meant in the postgame interview. pic.twitter.com/gDpPQmhinN
— Blake Finney (@FinneyBlake) November 3, 2021
Let’s take a look at some of Freeman’s most impressive accomplishments.
Keep in mind, awards for the 2021 season haven’t been given out yet.
- Five-time All-Star
- One-time Gold Glover
- Two-time Silver Slugger
- 2020 MVP
- Nine straight seasons with an OPS over .840
- Nine straight seasons with an OPS+ over 130
- Nine straight seasons with a bWAR of 3.0 or better
- Career .295 hitter with an OPS of .893 and OPS+ of 138
- World Series champion
And we’re barely scratching the surface.
On a yearly basis, Freeman delivers outstanding results.
You always know what you’re going to get from him.
If this was his last season with the Braves, he certainly made it count.
He has spent his entire pro career with Atlanta since being drafted by the organization in 2007, but he’s a free agent this winter.
Only time will tell if he returns to the team in 2022.
Wrap-Up
Freeman is 32 years old.
For some players, that’s around the age where production might start to drop off slightly, but it doesn’t look like Freeman is headed in that direction.
No matter who he plays for in 2022, it seems like a safe bet that he’ll make a huge impact once again.
He no longer has anything to prove, but you better believe he’ll hope to win another title next season.
NEXT: 3 Obstacles Braves Overcame To Win World Series