After the Atlanta Braves landed Matt Olson via trade from the Oakland A’s, it looks as though Freddie Freeman‘s time in Atlanta has come to an end.
Though that takes one team out of the Freeman sweepstakes, other teams remain in hot pursuit, particularly the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.
But it appears that more teams have joined battle to land the star first baseman, all of them coming from the American League East.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays are making a push for Freeman, meaning that almost the entire AL East is fighting to sign him.
Red Sox have joined the Freddie Freeman sweepstakes as things get more interesting. Teams known to be in now: the Dodgers plus 4 from AL East: Yankees, Rays and Jays, too
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 15, 2022
Interesting Fits
Both the Blue Jays and Red Sox are interesting possibilities for Freeman.
Toronto already has Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base, but they could potentially turn him into a designated hitter.
Boston makes a little more sense.
Bobby Dalbec has struggled over the past few seasons.
He hasn’t been consistent at the plate, and his defense has been subpar.
So, bringing in a veteran like Freeman might help Dalbec grow a little bit as a player, while also showing Red Sox fans that the front office cares about winning.
Adding Freeman to a lineup that already features Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Alex Verdugo would make them a strong contender for an AL East title after reaching the ALCS last year as a Wild Card team.
It would also be a good way for them to stick it to the Yankees before the season even begins.
Things are getting interesting in the Freeman sweepstakes, and just because the Braves are out doesn’t mean that the list can’t expand.
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