Freddie Freeman’s Determination for the Upcoming Season

PHOENIX – Freddie Freeman is well aware that he might not win his argument, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to put up a good fight.

Recently, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mentioned that he plans to give Freeman more days off next season, aiming to ease the pressure on the veteran first baseman as he heads into his age-36 year.

When Freeman spoke to reporters for the first time this spring, he couldn’t help but grin when the topic of time off came up.

“I’m preparing to play 162 games,” he joked. “And when that moment comes when they tell me, ‘You’re taking tomorrow off,’ I’m definitely going to dispute that, even if I know I’ll probably lose. But I want to play in every game.”

This mindset isn’t new for Freeman. Throughout his impressive 16-year career, he has aimed to appear in all 162 regular-season games, achieving that goal twice and coming close on other occasions. It’s part of who he is—his consistent performance often makes it hard for him to stay on the bench, although he’s beginning to come to terms with the necessity of rest.

“As I get older, I try not to think about it too much,” he quipped. “But I know they have my best interests at heart. So if they suggest a day off, I’ll probably agree, but only after trying to lobby for more playtime.”

While playing every game might be a stretch at this point, his determination to do so shows that he’s entering the new season with a fresh mindset. The ankle injury that hindered him during the 2024 postseason, required surgery in the offseason, and lingered through most of 2025 has finally healed. He showed up at Camelback Ranch this month feeling revitalized from a healthier winter training regimen.

“I took just four days off after last season and then jumped right back into training,” Freeman said. “I really feel great.”

In fact, he has ambitious goals for the upcoming year.

At a recent Dodgers’ Fan Fest, he expressed a desire to play four more seasons, which would bring his career to the 20-year mark. Although he stated that this timeline is somewhat flexible—“If it’s three, four, or five years, let’s see”—he maintained his confidence in his ability to perform at a high level even as he approaches his 40th birthday.

“Sure, Father Time will catch up eventually,” he acknowledged. “But we’ve been pushing that date back for a while.”

Adding four more seasons would also give Freeman the chance to achieve another significant milestone: becoming the 34th player in MLB history to reach 3,000 hits. Currently, he leads active players with 2,431 hits, but he’ll need to average 143 hits a season to reach that target.

Also, this means he would play out the remainder of his six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers, which ends after next season.

Freeman stated that his intention is to finish his career with the Dodgers, but he isn’t stressing over a new contract just yet. “I think Andrew (Friedman, Dodgers’ director of baseball operations) knows I love being a part of this team,” he said. “So whatever happens, will happen.”

For now, his primary focus is on fully recovering and preparing for a standout season in 2026.

Although Freeman dealt with ankle issues last year that required daily treatment and taping until August, he’s frustrated with his performance being just below .300—he ended the season with a .295 batting average, impacted by struggles in midseason.

He’s also expressed disappointment regarding the team’s defense, lamenting how his limited movement allowed balls to slip past him at first base.

“My big goal for this year is to improve my defense—to be able to get to more ground balls and cover more area,” he explained. “That’s what I’m focusing on.”

Freeman chuckled again while reflecting on his future. “If I can boost my defensive game and match that with good performance at the plate, maybe then Andrew and Mark (Walter, team owner) will want to keep me around.”

If a few extra days off facilitate this journey, he’ll reluctantly accept that—especially as he begins the 17th season of his major league career, with hopes that the end is still a ways off.

“That day will come,” he acknowledged. “But I’m not there yet. I genuinely enjoy playing, and as long as I’m performing well and they want me out there every day, I’ll keep at it.”