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Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman Quietly Putting Together an MVP Season

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 25: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves reacts as he crosses the plate after hitting a two run go ahead home run in the sixth inning of game two of the MLB doubleheader against the New York Yankees at Truist Park on August 26, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 25: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves reacts as he crosses the plate after hitting a two run go ahead home run in the sixth inning of game two of the MLB doubleheader against the New York Yankees at Truist Park on August 26, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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It seems like this happens every year for the Atlanta Braves first baseman, but here we are again enjoying another amazing season.

You might not know it if you only listen to the national media, but the Atlanta Braves have one of the best players in the game in Freddie Freeman.

While he’s started to get more of the love he deserves over the last couple of years, for whatever reason he’s getting lost against this season.

Perhaps it’s because he got off to such a slow starter after battling COVID-19. Or maybe it’s because it’s not putting up huge power numbers.

But make no mistake, Freddie Freeman is putting together another fabulous season and one that could put him in contention for the NL MVP award.

Now, he’s certainly not there yet. And he will have to increase his power numbers to be taken seriously as a candidate, but all of his other numbers are right where you’d want them to be.

His NL Ranks look like this:

Hits: 13th

Doubles: 4th

Home Runs: 34th

Runs: 6th

RBI: 16th

Walks: 2nd

AVG: 7th

OBP: 4th

SLG: 16th

OPS: 11th

WAR: 12th

wRC+: 11th

He’s clearly a top 10 players in the National League, and with everything still being so close because of the short season Freddie could climb up those leaderboards quickly with a good week.

The only big outlier is home runs, which is what fans and voters crave in today’s game.

But if Freddie can have a big month in September and hit close to 10 home runs, I think he’ll find himself squarely in the NL MVP discussion.

And it’s not out of the realm of possibility for him to put up those types of numbers in a month.

Last August, before the elbow really started to bother him, he slashed .276/.372/.629 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI. And last June he slashed .322/.405/.661 with 9 home runs.

The competition for the Braves gets a lot easier in September as we’re already seeing with the Red Sox terrible pitching staff.

It would not surprise me at all to see Freddie get on a hot streak and have a huge month like we’ve seen him have in the past.

Catching Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mookie Betts who area already at 2.6 and 2.0 WAR respectively won’t be easy.

dark. Next. Marcell's Big Night

But I’d love to see Freddie have a spectacular finish and at least put his name in the discussion before it’s all said and done.

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