Freeman is just the third Dodger to have 200 hits in a season since the team relocated to Los Angeles

In Los Angeles One of Freddie Freeman’s less-skilled swings resulted in a ball that bounded along the grass on the right side of the infield at an 80 mph exit velocity. But like so many of Freeman’s balls this season, it made it to the outfield grass.

Freeman’s single in the first inning marked his 200th base hit of the year. In a 5-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Friday, No. 201 was hit substantially harder (107 mph off the bat) and scored the lone run of the game for the Dodgers.

“I’ve always had my sights set on it,” said Freeman, who had 199 hits in the previous season but fell short by one. Two hundred just indicates that you play every day, are healthy, and have had a fantastic year. 200 is a fairly fantastic number.

“Anything else I said would be a lie. I am aware that the entire year has been fairly successful.

It has been excellent. It was historical.

In addition to being the first first baseman in major league history to have 200 hits, 20 or more home runs, and 20 or more stolen bases in a season, Freeman is also the first Dodger to have 200 hits, 25 home runs, and 20 stolen bases. Adrian Beltre last had a season with 200 hits for the Dodgers in 2004. Freeman has 21 thefts and 26 home homers.

Freeman, who joined Beltre, Mike Piazza, Steve Sax, Maury Wills, Tommy Davis, and Steve Garvey (who accomplished it six times), is the seventh player since the Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles to accumulate 200 hits in a single season.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “If you look at his season as a whole — it’s unprecedented.” “If you break out the hits, average, home runs, doubles, and bases stolen by position.

Every night, it seems like we’re praising Freddie for some accomplishment. That’s wonderful. It was encouraging to see him finish it. All we need to do now is get Mookie to 40 home runs, and we can check all those round numbers.

On Friday night, Mike Yastrzemski and Thairo Estrada launched home runs off Dodgers rookie Gavin Stone that were among the balls hit harder than Freeman’s first single.

‘Opener’ Caleb Ferguson was replaced by Stone, who held the opposition without a hit until Joc Pederson’s leadoff double in the fourth. Yastrzemski hit his two-run home run down the right-field line three batters later. After two innings, Estrada blasted a solo home run.

On a night when left-hander Sean Manaea sliced a nice chunk off of his career 9.00 ERA against the Dodgers, that was enough offense for the Giants.

In seven scoreless innings, Manaea gave up just three hits: Freeman’s single, Miguel Rojas’ bloop single in the third, and Will Smith’s single off first baseman Wilmer Flores’ glove in the seventh. Between the Rojas and Smith hits, Manaea retired 11 straight batters, none of whom made it past second base.

Roberts commented, “He had more velocity today,” suggesting Manaea might have been driven to rewrite his history with the Dodgers. “Today, I noticed some 97s. The breaking ball was tougher and more pointed. I believed that early on, we made some good swings and hard contact. Outside of it, though, we really didn’t pose a threat.

After an extra inning was added by a passed ball on a swinging strike three to Jason Heyward, the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth inning against Giants reliever Tyler Rogers. With a hump-backed line drive to right field, Freeman scored one run.

However, Will Smith grounded out to finish the inning, and Tyler Fitzgerald hit his first home run in the major league, a two-run shot, against lefty Ryan Yarbrough in the ninth.

UPDATE ON INJURIES

Michael Grove, a right-hander, has joined the group in Los Angeles. He has had a lat injury and has been on the injured list since August 6. This month, while on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, he made three appearances. Grove will be activated on Friday, and according to Roberts, “we’re going to give Michael every opportunity” to prove that he deserves to be on the postseason roster.

ALSOThe Roy Campanella Award for this year goes to Jason Heyward. The award honors the player who “best exemplifies the spirit and leadership” characteristics of the late Hall of Fame catcher and is chosen by Dodgers uniformed personnel.

UP NEXT Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw, 12-4, 2.52 ERA) against. Giants (TBD), 6:10 p.m. SportsNet LA, 570 AM, on Saturday