Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman endured a career-long problem: Max Scherzer.
Entering Monday’s matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, Freeman held a .208 batting average in 63 career plate appearances against the former Cy Young award winner.
Freeman also struck out 15 times.
Well, make it 16.
Scherzer whiffed Freeman on three pitches.
The Dodgers’ next batter, Teoscar Hernandez, connected on a two-run home run, propelling the Dodgers to a 14-2 victory.
Taken out because of forearm tendinitis, Scherzer lasted only two innings and did not face Freeman a second time.
Fortunate for Freeman.
Freddie Freeman thrives with Max Scherzer out
With Josh Fleming taking over for Scherzer at the top of the third inning, the reliever immediately yielded an infield single to Shohei Ohtani, who took second on the reliever’s throwing error. With one out, the 17-year veteran connected on a 438-foot homer to right-center field, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 4-1.
The Dodgers went on to score the next 10 runs. Freeman added a run-scoring double off reliever Tommy Nance in the seventh inning, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Hernandez also registered two hits and four RBI as the Dodgers improved to 8-2.
Freeman needed a breakout performance.
Entering Monday with a .237 batting average, Freeman’s season highlight developed Saturday. He connected on his 550th career double, moving him into 32nd place on the MLB all-time list.
A standout with the Atlanta Braves for 12 seasons, Freeman passed ex-Braves icon and friend Chipper Jones.
“I know he’ll tell me he’s still got me in homers,” Freeman said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. “But yeah, Chipper has meant a lot to me.”
On Monday, it meant a lot to Freeman that he didn’t have to face Scherzer after his first at-bat.