Freeman is a late addition to the NL All-Star roster
LOS ANGELES » Freddie Freeman's closing argument changed the verdict.
The first baseman became the sixth Dodger named to the National League All-Star team for Tuesday's game at Dodger Stadium when he was added as MLB's choice to replace New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte on Sunday.
Freeman joins pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson and shortstop Trea Turner and outfielder Mookie Betts, both of whom were voted to the starting lineup. The six All-Stars matches the most since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, done six times before most recently in 2017 when Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Kenley Jansen, Alex Wood and Kershaw made the NL team for the game in Miami.
Freeman was one of the most surprising snubs when the All-Star reserves were named a week ago. That slight only grew more glaring as Freeman tore through the final week before the break, going 16 for 24 with five doubles, three home runs and multi-hit games in five of the final six.
Freeman's burst raised his batting average to .321 (second to the St. Louis Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt in the National League) and put him atop MLB with 114 hits at the break.
It is the sixth career AllStar selection for Freeman, who starred at El Modena High before being drafted by the Atlanta Braves, where he spent parts of 12 seasons, winning the 2021 World Series title and the 2020 NL MVP award along the way.
He signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers shortly after the MLB lockout ended in March.