Dodgers prep for Freddie Freeman ‘mystery teams’ as bidding escalates

The Freddie Freeman chase may be reaching its apex, and you know what that means, Dodgers fans: imminent nonsense!

For weeks (even prior to free agency formally reopening), the Freeman conversation appeared to be down to the Dodgers and Braves, with the Yankees really wanting to be included while hanging on the outskirts.

The media, too, wanted to see the Yankees involved. Unfortunately, the Bombers don’t like to play in the deep end of the pool these days — unless it’s for two years of the much older Josh Donaldson — leaving LA to square off exclusively with a nasty opponent in the deep south.

On Monday, though, everything clarified. The Braves pulled the trigger on a Matt Olson trade. Freeman’s wife was posting outdated Instagrams from a suite at Dodger Stadium. It was all but over! After all, how can you lose a one-team competition?!

Alas, the media couldn’t let this one go. Though the Yankees are still likely out and pivoting to Anthony Rizzo, the Toronto Blue Jays entered the discourse on Monday night. The Rays may or may not have made an offer. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. posted emojis that made the world believe Freeman was imminently headed north of the border.

Then the Red Sox hopped in Tuesday morning?! Who’s driving this plane?!

Dodgers losing Freddie Freeman to Red Sox? Blue Jays? Mystery Team?

While every team could use a presence like Freeman, these three AL East fits make a degree of sense. Toronto would send Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to third base, importing a dual Canadian citizen to vault themselves into super contention. Boston would jettison Bobby Dalbec and use Freeman to keep the seat warm for Triston Casas before flipping him to DH … or, more likely, dealing their top prospect.

The Rays? If they felt like maintaining their entire roster, Freeman could make them deadly … but they’d probably trade Austin Meadows to make up for the import, pretending to have a reason to do so while fudging their financials.

Though all three of those additional AL East teams count as mysteries to us, rumors have circulated that the field has expanded even further.

Do we believe it? Absolutely not. But the fact that the Dodgers didn’t finish a Freeman deal Friday night when there was significant momentum has led to the proliferation of the term “Mystery Team” once again.

Now, we’re left with rampant speculation. It could be anyone! It could even be the Dodgers!

So, who comes down with Freeman? And is the decision made on Tuesday?

The longer we linger here, the better chance there is of the Dodgers blowing it and getting blindsided.

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