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Dodgers' Freeman strengthens HOF case with career milestone
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dodgers' Freddie Freeman strengthens HOF case with career milestone

Tuesday night was historic on a personal level for Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman

He reached a major career milestone in the Dodgers' 12-3 win to open a three-game series with the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Freeman finished the game going 2-for-4, leaving the game with 2,500 career hits. He achieved the benchmark moment in the seventh inning with an RBI single by rookie Brandan Bidois. 

Freddie Freeman became the first player to reach 2,500 hits since 2019 

Among an exclusive club in MLB history, Freeman became the first player to reach 2,500 career hits since 2019 and the 102nd to reach the number ever. 

Now in his 17th season and fifth with the Dodgers, Freeman is hitting .284 with a .366 OBP and a .481 slug through 64 games and 243 at-bats. He has 69 hits and 10 home runs, with his last coming on June 5. He has 36 RBI, 35 runs scored, 16 doubles and a couple of stolen bases so far in 2026.

A nine-time All-Star, Freeman is a three-time World Series champion, winning one with the Atlanta Braves in 2021 and then being a key piece of the Dodgers' back-to-back championship teams in 2024 and 2025. He was even named the 2024 World Series MVP to go along with his National League MVP from his 2020 campaign with the Braves. 

Freddie Freeman has a strong case for enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame 

At this point, Freeman has strengthened his already solid argument for enshrinement in Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. His postseason heroics, overall statistics and accolades will provide voters a resume worth considering when he's eligible five years after he plays his final game.  

To put Freeman's career (just by the numbers) in perspective, 58 of the players with at least 2,500 hits are already in the Hall of Fame. Of the ones who aren't, three others are still active, and many of the rest have careers clouded by proof or allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. 

Still not done yet, Freeman, 36, now has a shot at locking up his Hall of Fame case if he can advance to a level milestone-wise and get to 3,000 hits. Of the 33 players in the 3,000-hit club, 27 are in the Hall of Fame. 

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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