Free-agent market finally thaws for David Freese

Los Angeles Angels third baseman David Freese missed the entire month of August after suffering a broken finger when he was hit by a pitch last year. In the 31 games after he returned on Sept. 1, Freese hit .308 with a .486 slugging percentage to head off into free agency.

But that wasn't enough to get Freese into spring training until Friday. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they had signed the former South Alabama star. Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Freese got a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $3 million.

Despite his late start, Freese likely will begin his eighth MLB season as the Pirates' starting third baseman. Jung Ho Kang played third base for Pittsburgh last season, but he suffered a leg injury late in the year and isn't expected to be ready to return until May. After Kang returns, Pittsburgh reporters already have speculated that Freese could be the right-handed half of a first-base platoon with John Jaso, depending on how he's swinging the bat.

Freese batted .257 with 27 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 121 games in 2015, his second season with the Angels.

Los Angeles got Freese from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade. He was a National League All-Star in 2012 and won the World Series MVP Award during the Cards' victory over the Texas Rangers in 2011. Freese's two-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the ninth sent Game 6 into extra innings, then he won the game with a home run in the 11th.

In 721 MLB games, Freese has a .276 batting average with 301 runs, 133 doubles, five triples, 68 home runs and 348 RBIs. In 51 postseason games, he has a .282 batting average with 15 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 30 RBIs.


Link : http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/03/free-agent_market_finally_thaw.html