Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

This first baseman has been on an absolute tear in 2023

By Michael Carpenter | Last updated 8/10/23

After spending his first 12 seasons with the Atlanta Braves that included a Most Valuable Player Award and a World Series title, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is having what can arguably be called the best season of his career in year 14.

Currently slashing .344/.420/.598 with 101 runs scored, 67 XBH, 83 RBI and a career-high 16 stolen bases, Freeman is not showing any signs of slowing down.

The National League leader in runs, doubles, total bases and OPS, Freeman has started to make a case for the 2023 National League MVP Award.

Your @Chevrolet AL & NL Players of the Week are:

Framber Valdez: No-hitter on Aug. 1 (9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 7 K)
Freddie Freeman: 8 R, 2 HR, 3 SB, .500/.536/.923 pic.twitter.com/rxRUUDm72v
— MLB (@MLB) August 7, 2023

With 42 doubles, Freeman is 22 away from tying the MLB record for doubles in a season by a first baseman set by George Burns in his 1926 American League MVP campaign for Cleveland.

Freddie Freeman is hitting .460 (34-74 AB) with 15 XBH over his last 18 games @Dodgers | #HereToPlay pic.twitter.com/ZxUksAu35u
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 7, 2023

Since the All-Star break, Freeman has been one of the most feared hitters in baseball with a .433 batting average and 20 RBI in 24 games, helping close the gap a bit in the MVP race.

Freeman's former Braves teammate Ronald Acuna Jr. is the favorite to win the award thanks to his .341/.422/.588 slash line with 57 XBH, 69 RBI and 53 stolen bases while leading off for the deepest lineup in baseball, although Freeman has been just as important to the success of the Dodgers.

A strong finish to the season could make the vote a lot closer than it looked like it would be just a few weeks ago, but without a cold stretch from Acuna it will be hard to overtake him as he is in search of his first MVP Award in his sixth major league season.

Freddie Freeman has just passed Ronald Acuña Jr. in wRC+.

Freeman: 172 wRC+
Acuña: 171 wRC+

The Braves never had peak Freddie Freeman for a full season. Freddie has been an absolute superstar with the Dodgers.

pic.twitter.com/dRWL4WcXQx
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) August 6, 2023

MVP or not, 2023 has been a season to remember for the Dodgers first baseman.

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