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Dodgers: David Freese is the Perfect Fit For LA’s Bench
The Dodgers brought David Freese in to fill the veteran presence role left open by Chase Utley’s retirement. Freese has filled that role and more for the Dodgers.
David Freese is one of the most clutch postseason players of all-time. He will forever be remembered for his clutch hits in the 2011 World Series that lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a come from behind series victory over the Texas Rangers. The Dodgers felt they could use some of that postseason magic and made a waiver trade for Freese last August.
The move for Freese did several things for the Dodgers. It gave the club another veteran presence like Chase Utley, and it gave the team a right-handed complement to Max Muncy at first base. David started at first base down the stretch against southpaws and in the 2018 postseason, he once again hit two home runs with an OPS over 1.000. When Chase Utley decided to retire last off-season, the Dodgers decided to bring Freese back to fill that veteran void.
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On Friday, David hit a grand slam against his latest former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates and continued proving his worth to the Dodgers. This season he has hit .294 with runners in scoring position and has hit left and right-handed pitching. While he is not super versatile, he can play first and third base for the Dodgers, giving Max Muncy or Justin Turner a day off when necessary.
While Chase Utley was a valuable player-coach for the Dodgers, David Freese is the upgraded version of Utley who can not only teach the youngsters a thing or two, he can still deliver big hits off the bench or when he starts. With Justin Turner needing more days off to stay fresh for the late stages of the season, Freese plays a part in making those frequent rest days possible.
Next. Why Kimbrel and Bumgarner don't fit in Los Angeles. dark
With the Dodgers all but assured of another NL West title, David Freese will once again play a vital role for the 2019 playoff run. Whenever a big hit is needed, Freese can come off the bench and deliver. If the Dodgers are fortunate enough to make it to a third straight World Series, he can fill the designated hitter role with his clutch playoff proven bat. The Dodgers really struck gold in adding David Freese, who is the perfect fit for their bench.