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Los Angeles Dodgers: Three players that are primed for a breakout year

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on prior to Game One of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on prior to Game One of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

3. David Freese

It seems a bit counter-intuitive to include a guy that has been in the league for several years and has even won a World Series as a candidate to be a breakout player in 2019. However, that is exactly what David Freese is as he is set up to blow everyone’s expectations out of the water next season.

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If you ask any reasonable baseball fan outside of Los Angeles what they expect out of David Freese you would probably get a lot of the same answers. From 2013 through 2017, Freese put up very similar numbers, usually hitting around .265 with 10-14 home runs and 50-60 RBIs.

The Los Angeles Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates knew exactly what they were getting out of Freese. So do the Los Angeles Dodgers. And while he will not be an everyday player, Freese is going to excel in the opportunities that he does get.

That is because Dave Roberts and the rest of the decision-making crew is so good at using guys in favorable matchups to maximize their production. That is the result of having a roster that is immensely deep and flexible.

Freese is going to primarily be the backup first baseman and is going to see a ton of time against southpaws, which is more than okay. In his 19 games with the Dodgers in which this was the case last season, Freese hit .385 with a 1.130 OPS.

While he will not get enough at-bats to be qualified or even be considered as an all-star, I genuinely think that Freese is going to be a bench bat for the Dodgers that is going to flirt with the .300 mark all season long.

Freese is going to be the perfect counter to having a worse lineup against southpaws and is going to be the source of offense for the Dodgers on multiple occasions.

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Freese is a one-time all-star and a one-time World Series MVP, he knows what it takes to be successful. In 2019, we are going to see the best version of David Freese possible.

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