Despite presence of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts in Dodgers lineup, MLB vet hails Freddie Freeman with Orioles legend comparison

The top of the LA Dodgers' lineup is formed with three former MVPs in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. While Ohtani and Betts often catch praise, it was Freeman who got the praise from MLB veteran Bill Ripken this week.

Freeman has been a staple in the Dodgers' lineup and has come up good for them on numerous occasions, especially after his World Series heroics against the New York Yankees last season.

Ripken broke down Freeman’s fundamentally sound approach on MLB Network, saying:

"No disrespect to (the likes of Ohtani or Betts) because these guys are great, but I do believe that this dude, and you see him and what he's done in the postseason for a couple different teams — Atlanta and everything else — and the Dodgers, look at this. I mean, is this just crazy?

"So let's just give Freddie some love for what he was able to do. This man knows how to hit. He's not gonna punch—he knows how to put the ball in play. That is just tremendous."

Ripken also drew a direct comparison to Orioles Hall of Famer Eddie Murray —nicknaming the Dodgers star "Steady Freddie."

"I’ve got to give Freddie Freeman some love," Ripken added. "It reminded me a little bit of my yesteryear days when I first came up to the big leagues. There was this dude in Baltimore named Steady Eddie—and I call him Steady Freddie. I hope Eddie doesn't get upset about me comparing anybody to him, but look at Ed—anytime.

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Freddie Freeman breaks home run record against the Marlins

On Tuesday, the Dodgers' first baseman hit his eighth home run of the season in the top of the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins. The home run was Freddie Freeman's 42nd long hit against the Marlins, breaking Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman's record for most home runs against a single franchise.

38 of his 42 home runs came off as a member of the Braves.

Freeman is enjoying a good season, hitting .352 along with eight home runs and 30 RBIs.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra