Braves: One reporter believes Freddie Freeman will choose between the Braves and Dodgers

If the MLB lockout really is coming to a close, as many believe, so are the Freddie Freeman sweepstakes. Many believe Freeman will be one of the first free agents to sign once the lockout ends, and I agree. What more do the Braves and Freeman have to discuss? They’ve gone back and forth for a long time in an attempt to agree to an extension, and it hasn’t happened. The Braves will likely be given one final opportunity to meet Freeman’s demands, but if they don’t budge, it’s likely he already has an idea of which team he’ll join.

I’ve stated for months that the Dodgers are the biggest threat when it comes to re-signing Freeman. They compete for championships, have deep enough pockets to make him an offer he can’t refuse, and Freeman is a Southern California native. What else could an unrestricted free agent want?

And I’m not the only one who thinks that. MLB insider Bob Nightengale has said several times on different shows that the Dodgers are the X-factor in negotiations. Most recently, he had this to say on 105.7 The Fan’s Vinny and Haynie, via 92.9 The Game: 

“I think Correa is going to take a while (to sign somewhere), I just don’t see a natural fit,” Nightengale said Wednesday. “The Dodgers can be an X-factor because Trea Turner only has one more year and you can always slide him over to second base. Freeman, it’s going to come down to Atlanta versus probably the Dodgers. I don’t see the Yankees being involved, I’m not completely ruling it out. I rule out Correa with the Yankees, but I’m not sure about Freddie. Freddie lives in Orange County, grew up an Angels fan, so close to Dodger Stadium, and now with the universal DH going in so now even if he starts to wear down towards the end of that contract you’ve still got a spot for him as a DH. Atlanta can say the same thing.”

If not the Braves, the Dodgers make the most sense to me. However, I wouldn’t count out the Blue Jays. Freeman is Canadian, and the Jays are a team on the rise with money to spend. It’s a storyline not many people are talking about, but I believe there’s a possibility it happens. The Mets are also in the mix, given Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend. I have a hard time seeing Freeman ever leaving the Braves for the Mets, but sometimes, money talks and Cohen has boatloads of it.

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