Dodgers have to resist any temptation to prolong Freddie Freeman’s tenure in LA

Let's not beat around the bush here: Freddie Freeman is already a Los Angeles Dodgers legend. In just five years with the team, he's racked up five All-Star selections, two top-five MVP finishes, two championships, and won a World Series MVP award. Calling him anything less than a "franchise great" is a disservice to his role in the organization's recent dynasty.

With all of that being said, he's also a 37-year-old first baseman coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. A 120 wRC+ is nothing to scoff at, of course, but his power (16 homers), speed (seven steals), and defense (-2 Defensive Runs Saved) all continue to decline with age, leading to his worst fWAR total (2.6) since 2012.

At the same time, he's entering the final year of his contract, owed $27 million in 2027. After that point, he'll reach free agency again, this time as a 38-year-old. Is that really the kind of players the Dodgers should be investing in after the holes in their aging roster were thoroughly exposed by the far younger, more athletic Brewers in the NLCS?

Dodgers must start transitioning to next generation of talent, even at the expense of franchise legends

Earlier this year, Freeman expressed a desire to "play until he's 40," which would require him to extend his contract for two more years beyond 2027. That's not too onerous of an idea, especially if he's willing to sign for a reduced AAV compared to his current deal ($24.7 million), but it doesn't solve the at-large issue facing the Dodgers right now.

This team is, to put it bluntly, old. Kyle Tucker (30 in January) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (recently turned 28) are the youngest members of the current core that have signed long-term contracts. The only other under-30 player on the roster owed guaranteed money in 2027 is Hyeseong Kim.

No matter how good those guys are, Father Time defeats everyone eventually. Relying on so many aging superstars just isn't a sustainable strategy, even if the Dodgers (as currently constructed) could still compete for a few more titles before everything completely collapses.

Of course, there is young talent on the roster -- Andy Pages, Dalton Rushing, and Roki Sasaki are all 25 years old (Sasaki will turn 25 in the first week of November). There's also the organization's elite farm system to consider, which contains under-25 talents close to the MLB level like Josue De Paula and Mike Sirota.

Really, the angst about a potential Freeman extension is that it would signal a doubling-down on the aging core, rather than a commitment to the up-and-coming one.

We all want Steady Freddie to be part of the organization for years to come -- Andrew Friedman already has post-retirement plans in mind -- but the Dodgers can't chase the glory of the past if they want to keep competing in the future.

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