A positive COVID-19 test has shelved Braves star Freddie Freeman since early July, but the first baseman is not a sure bet to miss Opening Day on the 24th. Manager Brian Snitker told Mark Bowman of MLB.com and other reporters Thursday that the Braves haven’t ruled out Freeman for the start of their season. Snitker added that Atlanta will likely make a decision on Freeman after Friday, David O’Brien of The Athletic tweets.
Fortunately, Freeman is doing much better now, but his illness seemed quite severe at the outset. Teammate and outfielder Nick Markakis even elected to opt out of the season after talking with Freeman, saying: “That opened my eyes. He didn’t sound good.”
Not long after Markakis made his choice, the Braves reached a deal with Yasiel Puig as a replacement in their outfield. Puig’s bat could also help matters if the Braves have to go without Freeman for any amount of time. That said, there’s no realistic hope of replacing Freeman’s on- or off-field impact on the organization. The 30-year-old enjoyed yet another terrific season in 2019, batting .295/.389/.549 (141 wRC+) with a career-high 38 home runs in 692 plate appearances.
While Freeman is getting closer to a return, the Braves had to place first baseman/outfielder Peter O’Brien on the 10-day injured list Thursday after he was exposed to someone with the coronavirus, per David O’Brien. Peter O’Brien didn’t test positive, however. The 30-year-old, whom the Braves signed to a minor league contract in the offseason, made their initial 60-man player pool.
Really glad to read this. Both for Freeman and his family and for the Braves. Freeman’s contribution to the Braves is more than what he does on the diamond. With Puig coming in and Markakis opted out, the Braves need Freeman being the clubhouse influence that he is.
Hopefully he won’t miss more than a handful of games. Missing zero games seems a little to optimistic and really, the most important aspect in this is the health and safety of the players and their families.
Nick Markakis even elected to opt out of the season after talking with Freeman, saying: “That opened my eyes. He didn’t sound good.”
That’s basically what I mean about players should be able to opt back in based on more information.
Freeman now looks ready to play, that’s more information. So far, he also appears to be the player most affected by the virus. That’s more information.
These players, like everyone else, are still in the dark. There is so much we don’t know.
If he misses a portion of the season the Braves have no shot. Their lineup is only good bc the 3 studs carry the rest of the mediocre lineup. If he is out. Acuna and Albies can’t carry 7 mediocre hitters
He’s not Yoenis Cespedes. They’ll be fine without him. You know he’s known for missing chunks of games, right? Worry more about deGrom carrying the whole team on his back.
Mets have no shot even if degrom is ready
Same shot as the Braves…..
Lmao. #thingsmetsfanssay
Freddie is known for missing chunks of games? He’s had a couple wrist and elbow issues but I don’t think he’s “known” for missing games. He’s the cornerstone of the lineup. And no he’s not Cespedes, he’s much better.
Ces is no freeman. Freeman is better. But the Mets could actually afford to lose Ces. Deeper lineup. The Braves lose freeman and you have acuna as the only elite hitter. And 2 good ones with Albies and Ozuna….
Good luck winning the division with your pitching. .. Soroka will do worse this year and Anderson won’t be anything. When was the last time you made the WS??? A bunch of Choke Artist.
Wow, classy guy.
It’s a sixty game season. Max Fried could win Cy Young in a 60 game season.
If you know who is going to get hot over ten to twelve starts, you let me know.
And when was the last time Mets won the division? Or made it to the world series?…maybe u should worried about your muts… first…
You didn’t really just write that… did you?
In 2015 they made the World Series.
We won a WS nine years more recently than the Mets. Your point is dumb. I feel bad for Mets fans. How can the last ten years not lead to some sort of neurosis?
My point is dumb?
“And when was the last time Mets won the division? Or made it to the world series?”
Now that was dumb.
All this thread shows is there are some very weird Braves and Mets fans who don’t seem to know much about baseball.
3 Silver Sluggers and only 1 is “elite”? Still one of the youngest teams in MLB and already winning consecutive division titles, so there’s only up. Albies/Acuna are just setting records. Imagine if we get anything from Riley, Swanson, Camargo, Ozuna, Puig…
2020
Lol metsfan22 you seem to not realize a few things. 1. The Braves definitely have a deeper lineup then the Mets. The Mets have one of the worst defenses in the game, the Mets 1-2 pitchers are only elite thing Mets have.2. Saying we can’t win the season if Freddie isn’t there is quite silly. Tell me how is Atlanta worse when your Mets have Wilson Ramos, Cano and a broken Cespedes? At least the Braves are young and every player has upside. 3.And if degrom is hurt your pitching staff is no better then ours
People who actually look at numbers know the Mets lineup is deeper
If you look at 60 games, and the right ones, Julio Teheran was as good as anyone in baseball last year.
The Mets were the wild card in 2015 @halo11fan
@rundmc, yeah, Ozuna and Puig are “nothing”. They’re holes in the lineup.
If Dansby can finally show consistency, and if D’Arnaud is what he was in Tampa, this quickly becomes the longest lineup in baseball. Imagine if Inciarte looks like his good second half’s and Riley is what he was in spring training.
Comparing the Mets to the Braves is comparing apples and oranges. Mets are not a well rounded team.
I think the Braves are much better than the Mets. But I also know that over 60 games the Mets are perfectly capable of posting a better record than the Braves.
To say a team the quality of the Braves or Mets can’t make the playoffs shows a lack of understanding.
Few teams are so bad they cannot make the playoffs.
Maybe five or six.
Sure, but there’s also so many more factors during this. A few new rules, expanded rosters, roster depth (26, 28, 60-man rosters) and the biggest unknown: how are guys going to be able to deal with C19. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a crazy World Series between the Indians/Pirates for how this year has already gone.
The Pirates were on my list.
Orioles, Giants, Mariners, Tigers, Royals. That’s about it.
Those teams would shock me. Am I forgetting someone?
I’d put the Marlins on a “I’d be mostly shocked” list, but in a season like this, even they have an outside shot.
But I would be mostly shocked.
The Marlins have some young talent. Over a 60 game stretch, I wouldn’t be surprised.
But if I had to include one more team, that would be the team.
Pitching, sure. But that lineup is pitiful. That bullpen always seems to find an equal amount of studs to duds.
the Royals will shock you just like they whipped the Mets in 15. you guys from the east seem to have a higher opinion of yourself than anyone else. I imagine the Phillies will knock you both out
Duvall had a 118 OP+ last year after figuring out his problems in AAA, where he crushed 32 HR in 101 games.
Puig is basically a lock for around .265 with mid 20 HR’s, and he could do more if he’s actually motivated and happy – most players who have come to Atlanta have given great accolades to our clubhouse atmosphere.
Swanson hit .270 with 17 HR’s last year… In the 1st half alone. If he stays healthy there’s no reason why he couldn’t continue on a similar pace and have a pretty great year.
The last time Camargo got steady at bats he hit .272 with 19 HR, good for a 115 OPS+.
Austin Riley has made adjustments and significant improvements in his second year at every level:
2017 AA – .315 with 8 HR in 48 games. 2018 AA – .333 with 6 HR in 27 games.
2018 AAA – .282 with 12 HR in 75 games. 2019 AAA – .293 with 15 HR in 44 games.
Everyone expects Riley to continue this trend of making adjustments and improving each year.
Ozuna has been an above average hitter virtually every season of his career, even despite spending most of it in a pitcher friendly park in Miami.
The Braves have plenty of offense with or without Freeman, and Freeman likely won’t miss much, if any, time.
Laughable. Freeman was practically absent throughout weeks at a time with injured wrist. His absence will not affect games won by more than one or two at most.
I wonder what kind of long term damage he’ll suffer (if any), and if it’ll have any effect on his career.
The braves should be able to play match ups and find enough production if Freddie is out. One thing they can’t overcome is significant playing time by Ender Inciarte. Not a typo. Their record with and without him is staggering.
@questionable_Source what do you mean about Ender?
Be honest MetsFan22 are you also going by Halo11Fan they’re very similar? I have commented both on here and ESPN almost daily before their forum board was taken down. I thought Phillies fans are jealous the #number 5th team in the MLB power rankings have overtaken them in the east for supremicy but you’re even more ignorant and clueless than Phillies fans. Infact even the Phillies are better than your Mets. Sure AA could have done his job and traded
for the rumored Chris Bryant to get over their familiar one and done syndrome. Even without Chris Bryant, my Braves are years ahead of your mediocre Mets who suck just like your host city. My man John Rocker was sure right about loosers like you, let alone your city.
As a met fan, I wish him, and everyone, a speedy recovery. He’s one of the 5 best players and a met killer. A season wouldn’t be the same without him.
Happy for Freddie.
Not happy that players are still coming into contact with the virus in spite of whatever precautions are in place.
Freeman and Touki are back!