LOS ANGELES — Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman finally got his first hit of the season after starting 0-for-8. His time on the basepaths was short and ended in a hug.
“I didn’t think I’d ever be a part of a hug out on a baseball field,” a smiling Freeman said.
Freeman singled off Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez in the second inning Saturday night. Two outs later, Santiago Espinal grounded out to second base.
Ketel Marte fielded the ball nearly halfway between first and second, and he blocked Freeman’s path while putting his arms out.
With nowhere to run, Freeman walked toward a smiling Marte, who tagged him out with a hug to end the inning.
“I stopped and I was like, is there any way around this? If I go out of the baseline, I’m out. If I run back, he’ll just run to second,” Freeman said. “He gave me a little, ‘Come here,’ and I was like, ‘All right, let’s just do it.'”
Freeman is known to wear his emotions on his sleeve, and he has greeted opposing players who arrive at first base with hugs in the past.
“I’m very much a hugger,” he said. “Emotional man over here.”
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