Report: Freddie Freeman expected to make FA decision soon; Dodgers talks 'intensifying'

Freddie Freeman is expected to be the first domino to fall in this second post-lockout free-agency period, and it looks like he may be making a decision soon.

Freeman is expected to decide where he will play next season in the next 24 hours, and possibly by the end of Friday night, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. As Morosi also reports, it's believed the negotiations are down to the Dodgers and the Braves.

Talks between Freeman and the Dodgers are "intensifying," according to Morosi. Los Angeles already made one big move, signing longtime Dodger Clayton Kershaw to a one-year deal earlier Friday afternoon.

It was believed by many that it'd be tough for Freeman to leave the Braves, as he's played his entire 12-year career with the franchise. They likely are working with a smaller budget than the Dodgers are, though, and Morosi notes it's unknown whether or not the Braves will be able to match the multiyear offer made by Los Angeles.

It's also possible Freeman has become more open to leaving Atlanta since helping to deliver a World Series title this past season. It certainly would not be the first time a star player has left for a bigger-market team after helping win a championship.

Wherever Freeman ends up, he'll provide an elite option at the top of the order. He's been an All-Star in three of the last four seasons, as there were no All-Stars selected in 2020 — Freeman ended up winning the NL MVP, though, so it's safe to assume he would've been 4-for-4 if not for the shortened season.

In 2021, Freeman hit .300/.393/.503 with 31 homers and 83 RBIs. He logged a 133 OPS+, meaning he significantly out-performed the league-average offensive production of 100. He's hit .295/.384/.509 over his career with 271 homers.