LOS ANGELES: During a recent segment on MLB Central, Mark DeRosa and former Dodger and surefire Hall-of-Famer Albert Pujols took a deep dive into what makes Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman such a generational talent. For Dodgers fans, the conversation wasn’t just praise—it was validation of what they see night in and night out: Freeman is not only elite, but he’s built different.
DeRosa opened the segment with admiration bordering on reverence. He’d been “nerding out” over Freeman’s stats on Baseball Reference, rattling off ten years of excellence: batting averages of .302, .307, .309, .341, .325, two years in the .280s, then back to .331 and .376. “If we’re going to the electric chair or I got one AB to give with my life on the line—I’ll give it to Freddie,” DeRosa said. “Freddie’s getting it.”
Pujols, no stranger to legendary production himself, wholeheartedly agreed. He emphasized that Freeman’s success is rooted in his mental game as much as his mechanics. “For me, it’s like you can tinker swing path, this and that,” Freeman explained in an interview clip, “but if you don’t have an approach at the plate… your swing could be the best swing in the world, but you don’t have an approach—I don’t know really the success.”
Both hitters shared the same philosophy during their careers. Pujols said he never guessed pitches. Instead, he looked for the fastball and stayed aggressive. “I never would choke up because I feel like I was defending the strike zone,” he added. “If I’m going to strike out, I want to strike out with my A-swing.” Like Freeman, he preferred to work middle-away, staying within himself rather than trying to do too much.
Freeman’s approach, DeRosa said, is built around elite pitch recognition. “He said, ‘I just focus on the 17 inches,” Freeman once told him, referring to the width of home plate. He doesn’t care if it’s a fastball, slider, curve, or changeup—if it’s over the plate, he’s ready. That mindset takes discipline, and Pujols pointed out how hard it is to maintain, especially when you’re seeing pitches designed to fool you. But Freeman doesn’t chase. He reacts.
Pujols recalled how he, too, learned late in his career that success often comes down to hitting the ball where it’s pitched. Trying to force a pitch to the opposite field can result in a harmless popup. “Hit the ball where it’s pitched,” he said. “If that ball is middle away, then drive it that way. If it’s middle in, then try to get your hands in and burn it.”
To illustrate Freeman’s in-game brilliance, DeRosa broke down an at-bat against Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen. Gallen came in with cutters, jamming Freeman twice. If you’re Gallen, DeRosa explained, you might think you’ve found the weakness. But Freeman didn’t flinch. When Gallen threw a fastball away to try and freeze him, Freeman was still locked in on his plan. Eventually, Gallen went back to the cutter—and Freeman laced it down the right field line.
Pujols noted how even when a pitcher makes the “right” adjustment, Freeman seems ready. “When you are locked in like Freddie is right now, it doesn’t matter what you throw. He’s so comfortable at the plate… it’s almost like he knew every pitch as soon as it was coming out of his hand,” he said.
DeRosa brought up Freeman’s stats again—most consecutive seasons with a 130 OPS+ or higher. Barry Bonds leads with 17. Freeman is second, with 13. Pujols smiled as DeRosa read the names: “Oops… who’s on that list? Albert Pujols is on that list.”
But for Pujols, it’s not just about numbers. It’s about the behind-the-scenes work, the stuff fans don’t see. “His ankle is not right,” he revealed. “He’s getting an hour and a half of treatment just to get out there every day. And people will never know how hard it was for him to post in the World Series.”
When they talked about Freeman’s MVP performance in the 2024 World Series, it got emotional. DeRosa, who said he hadn’t cried in 30 years, admitted, “I felt a tear rolling down my face when that ball hit. To know Freddie since he was 18 years old and to see him put L.A. on his back…”
Pujols nodded. “Great for him. And great human being. Forget about what he does on the field. Freddie is awesome guy, awesome teammate.” He emphasized that Freeman’s success isn’t dependent on matchups—“It doesn’t matter if it’s left, right, on the way, starter, reliever, fastball, non-fast—it’s a joke.”
They also mentioned Freeman’s love for the game and the way he’s still engaged with the sport beyond his own team. After watching an interview with Astros pitcher Hunter Brown, Freeman texted DeRosa: “That guy needs to pitch for Team USA.” DeRosa responded, “Someone else needs to play for Team USA—Freddie Free.” Freeman replied, “There’s still time. I don’t know.”
The final point of the segment brought it full circle. When Freeman is in the box, it’s not just a battle—it’s a clinic. “He can go every night, every day, knowing he’s going to give you four or five quality at-bats,” Pujols said. “That was it. You might get him once, but you’re not beating him four times.”
And Dodger fans know: if the game is on the line, there’s no one else they’d rather have in that box than number 5.
