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Freddie Freeman Crushes 26th Double — Absolute Missile to Right Field
Freddie Freeman’s Sharp Double: A Baseball Savant Breakdown
What Happened in This Play
TL;DR: Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers’ star first baseman, hit his 26th double of the season with a hard-hit line drive to right field. The right fielder, Carson Benge, had no chance to catch it.
Imagine you’re at a baseball game. The batter steps up, swings the bat, and crack! The ball rockets off the bat like a laser beam, flying low and fast toward the right side of the field. That’s exactly what happened here — a sharp line drive that found the gap for a two-base hit.
Who’s Who in This Play
| Player | Team | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Freddie Freeman | Los Angeles Dodgers | The batter — one of baseball’s best hitters |
| Carson Benge | Opposing team | The right fielder who watched it fly by |
Fun Fact: Freddie Freeman is a former MVP and World Series champion known for his incredibly consistent hitting. Getting his 26th double means he’s having another excellent season!
The "What If" Game: Ballpark Dimensions Matter
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Baseball Savant (MLB’s official analytics site) ran a simulation: In how many MLB ballparks would this exact same hit have been a home run?
The Answer: Just ONE
| Ballpark | Result |
|---|---|
| Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees) | HOME RUN! |
| All 29 other MLB parks | Still just a double |
Why Only Yankee Stadium?
Yankee Stadium has a famously short right-field porch — the fence is only 314 feet from home plate down the line. Most parks are 325-335 feet there. That tiny difference turns doubles into dingers!
Key Insight: This tells us Freeman crushed the ball — it had home run distance in a hitter-friendly park, but just enough hang time and trajectory to stay in the yard elsewhere. That’s elite contact quality.
How to Watch This Play
Baseball Savant provides two broadcast angles:
- HOME Broadcast — The Dodgers’ TV/radio call (Freeman’s team)
- AWAY Broadcast — The opposing team’s call
Pro Tip: Watch both! Home announcers get excited; away announcers sound devastated. It’s the same play, totally different energy.
Why This Matters for Baseball Fans
For Casual Fans
- Doubles = Rally Starters: A double puts a runner in "scoring position" (2nd base). One single scores them.
- Line Drives = Best Contact: They drop in for hits more often than fly balls or grounders.
For Stats Nerds
- Exit Velocity & Launch Angle: This hit likely had high exit velocity (100+ mph) and ideal launch angle (10-25°) — the "sweet spot" for extra-base hits.
- xBA (Expected Batting Average): Based on how hard and where it was hit, this play had a very high probability of being a hit — maybe .800+.
For Fantasy Managers
- Freeman racking up doubles = runs, RBIs, and batting average help. He’s a fantasy stud.
Summary
- Freddie Freeman hit his 26th double — a sharp line drive to right field
- Carson Benge (RF) couldn’t catch it — hit too hard, too well-placed
- Only in Yankee Stadium would this have been a home run (short right-field fence)
- Shows Freeman’s elite contact quality — near-HR power to all fields
- Available in HOME and AWAY broadcast versions
FAQ
What’s a "sharp line drive"?
A ball hit hard and low with very little arc. It gets to the outfield fast, giving fielders less time to react. Think of a frozen rope.
Why does Yankee Stadium give up more home runs to right field?
The right-field fence is unusually close (314 ft) and low (8 ft). It was built that way to fit the stadium into the available city block. Left-handed pull hitters love it.
What is Baseball Savant?
MLB’s official advanced statistics platform. It tracks every pitch and batted ball with radar/cameras (Statcast), giving us exit velocity, launch angle, sprint speed, and cool visualizations like the "ballpark comparison" above.
How many doubles is "good" for a season?
- 30+ = Excellent
- 20-29 = Very Good (Freeman’s at 26, so he’s on pace for ~40)
- 40+ = Elite (only a few players reach this yearly)
- Record: 67 (Earl Webb, 1931)
Can I watch this video myself?
Yes! Visit baseballsavant.mlb.com and search for the play ID: 170219ed-c6d5-3606-92d0-de8221759d33 or look up "Freddie Freeman doubles" in their video library.
