Juan Soto isn't one to lack confidence but will give credit where it is due. For instance, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has Soto's approval and then some.
Although Freeman dealt with an ankle injury during spring training, it didn't limit his effectiveness. That's only a fraction of why he is great, in Soto's eyes.
In an ESPN article, the current New York Mets star explained why the Dodgers slugger is the best, in his eyes.
“Freddie Freeman,” Soto said. “I feel like he's one of the best hitters I've ever seen. There are a lot of guys that have (long) careers like (Albert) Pujols. Mike Trout has been having great years.
“But the guy I see every day since I've been in the big league has been Freddie Freeman.”
Freeman has been exceptional in his career. He won the 2020 National League MVP, as well as being an eight-time All-Star. Not to mention, Freeman has two World Series championships under his belt, and the 2018 World Series MVP as well.
His dominance and consistency for 15 seasons is beyond impressive. After being a second-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2010, he showed how elite he is.
Juan Soto sees Dodgers' Freddie Freeman as the GOAT
With names like Barry Bonds, Ted Williams, or Hank Aaron, putting Freeman in that conversation is interesting, to say the least. However, Freeman's consistency cannot go unnoticed.
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He hasn't been as dominant as the other three but has been one of the top players of this generation. With a career of .300 average, he's shown patience, IQ, and power at the plate.
In seven of the past nine seasons, he has batted .300 or higher. In the two seasons, he didn't reach that metric, the lowest average he had was .282.
For Freeman to approach 36 years old, that's an impressive statistic. However, being on a stacked Dodgers team helps his case as well.
Pitching to guys like Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani makes people more lenient to pitch to Freeman. As a result, he's been making them pay at the plate.
Furthermore, his glove is still as sharp as it has ever been. The first baseman is making tough plays at the bag. Extending his glove, going into foul territory, and acknowledging lead-off runners have been huge.
If Freeman's career continues to be as consistent as it has, his name could be in there. With the Dodgers poised to win another World Series in 2025, Freeman can convince many to put his name in there.
