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The Los Angeles Dodgers made a strategic move by shifting first baseman Freddie Freeman to the fourth spot in the lineup for games on Saturday and Monday. This change was not a reflection on Freeman’s performance but rather a tactical decision to counter the left-handed pitchers they were facing. Teoscar Hernández took Freeman’s place in the top three spots.
Since both Shohei Ohtani and Freeman bat left-handed, opposing teams often use left-handed relievers against them. To address this strategy, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to move Freeman to the cleanup spot.
Roberts explained, “It’s no secret that any team that’s going to try to beat us is going to stockpile some lefties to minimize Shohei and Freddie. That’s just a way that I can counter a little bit.”
The initial lineup change didn’t work in the Dodgers’ favor on Saturday as they suffered a heavy 10-1 loss to the Braves led by left-handed pitcher Chris Sale. However, the Dodgers bounced back on Monday with a 9-0 shutout victory over the Braves, securing wins in the final two games of the series. Freeman played a key role in this win by hitting a three-run home run, his 22nd of the season, in the stadium of his former team.
Despite the lineup changes, Freeman expressed his contentment with the move down in the batting order, acknowledging the tougher matchups it creates for opposing managers. Ohtani and Hernández also thrived with the new lineup, contributing to the Dodgers’ victory with additional RBIs.
With a lineup featuring stars like Freeman, Ohtani, and Mookie Betts, along with an All-Star in Hernández, the Dodgers have a formidable offense that poses challenges for any opposing team, regardless of batting order.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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