Freddie Freeman, the reigning National League MVP, has not homered in September. The drought stretches back weeks, erasing the offensive foundation that anchored the Los Angeles Dodgers’ championship run.
The 36-year-old first baseman produced a three-run shot off San Diego Padres reliever Brycen Mautz on September 2, 2026, his 16th home run of the season. The blast traveled into the right-field pavilion at Dodger Stadium. It accounted for three runs in a single swing.
That total of 16 home runs places Freeman on pace for his lowest full-season power output since 2019. The gap between his 2024 World Series MVP form and his current trajectory defines the most pressing question facing the Dodgers’ October roster construction.
The MVP Pedigree That Set an Impossible Standard
Freeman won the 2024 National League MVP award. He delivered a .295 batting average, a .380 on-base percentage, and a .905 OPS across 162 contests. He earned World Series MVP honors after batting .300 with two home runs and seven RBIs against the New York Yankees.
His postseason .300 average included a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of that Fall Classic. The performance cemented his status as the league’s premier contact-hitting first baseman.
Through September 2, 2026, Freeman owns a .298 batting average and a .380 on-base percentage. The on-base skills remain elite. The power has vanished.
The Three-Run Flash in Context
The September 2 home run off Mautz marked Freeman’s first home run in 72 plate appearances. The three-run shot provided a brief surge in a season defined by power scarcity.
Isolated slugging (.PSO) measures a hitter’s extra-base capability independent of batting average. Freeman’s .PSO has cratered from .480 in 2024 to .410 in 2026. The 70-point drop reflects a fundamental shift in his offensive output.
The decline is not gradual. It is structural.
The Wild Stat That Exposes the Dodgers’ Biggest Flaw
Freeman’s home run total of 16 ranks him outside the top 20 among National League first basemen. The previous three seasons saw him post 29, 21, and 28 home runs.
The Dodgers entered the 2026 campaign with expectations of a three-headed power monster: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freeman. Betts missed time. Ohtani maintained his power production. Freeman’s drop-off created a void in the middle of the lineup.
| Season | Home Runs | .PSO | OPS | Postseason Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 29 | .489 | .976 | NLDS Loss |
| 2024 | 21 | .480 | .905 | World Series MVP |
| 2026 | 16 | .410 | .825 | In Progress |
No Dodgers position player has produced fewer home runs through this point in a season while batting cleanup since 2018.
Freeman Refuses to Chase Power
Freeman told reporters this week that he would not sacrifice his contact approach to manufacture home runs. The decision aligns with a career-long identity built on plate discipline and line-drive contact.
The contact-first approach produced one Hall of Fame-caliber career. It also clashes with the modern National League’s reliance on power production. The Dodgers rank 11th in the National League in home runs as a team.
Freeman’s refusal represents a philosophical stance. It also reflects a fundamental reality. His swing mechanics, optimized for contact since his Atlanta tenure, resist mid-career overhaul at age 36.
0-for-October — How the Drought Sabotages Postseason Legacy
Freeman’s previous October slumps have rewritten star legacies across baseball. The 2020 NLCS produced a .176 average. The 2021 postseason brought a .207 mark across 11 games. Those downturns damaged the offensive reputation of stars who dominated regular-season schedules.
The 2026 drought extends beyond power numbers. Freeman owns a .240 September batting average through the first week of the month. The pattern repeats itself from previous late-season collapses.
The Dodgers’ championship window narrows each year. Betts is 33. Ohtani is 32. Freeman is 36. The core’s collective power decline reduces the margin for error in any postseason series.
What’s Really Breaking
Three factors explain the decline. First, pull-side power has deteriorated on fastballs over the plate. Second, opposing pitchers have shifted their approach, feeding Freeman more breaking balls away. Third, the lineup protection around Ohtani forces Freeman into tougher two-strike counts.
Age complicates any mechanical adjustment. Freeman’s bat speed ranks in the 23rd percentile among qualified first basemen, down from the 47th percentile in 2024.
The Dodgers face a structural problem. Their first baseman, signed to a six-year, $162 million contract extension in 2024, has produced fewer home runs than any Dodgers cleanup hitter since Cody Bellinger’s 2019 injury year.
Can Freeman Rewrite the Ending
Freeman’s Hall of Fame case rests on consistency, not power. His career .303 average and .390 on-base percentage place him among the all-time leaders at first base. The question is whether October can wait for the power to return.
One home run does not solve a 72-plate-appearance drought. The September 2 shot provided a temporary reprieve. It did not reverse the underlying trend.
The Dodgers need Freeman to produce extra-base production in October. The contact-first identity built his Cooperstown resume. It may also cost him the 2026 championship.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: When was Freddie Freeman’s last home run?
- A: Freddie Freeman’s last home run came on September 2, 2026, a three-run shot off San Diego Padres reliever Brycen Mautz that landed in the right-field pavilion at Dodger Stadium.
- Q: How many home runs has Freddie Freeman hit this season?
- A: Freeman has hit 16 home runs in the 2026 season, placing him on pace for his lowest full-season power output since 2019.
- Q: Why is Freddie Freeman’s home run drought concerning for the Dodgers?
- A: Freeman won the 2024 NL MVP and World Series MVP with elite contact hitting and timely power, including a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the Fall Classic. His vanishing power threatens the offensive foundation that anchored the Dodgers’ championship run and raises questions about their October roster construction.
- Q: Is Freddie Freeman still performing well offensively despite the home run drought?
- A: Yes. Through September 2, 2026, Freeman owns a .298 batting average and a .380 on-base percentage, showing that his elite on-base skills remain intact even as his power production has disappeared.
Extended Reading
MLB.com: Freeman’s three-run home run (16) — September 2, 2026
DodgersBeat: Absurd Freeman statistic highlights home run issue
Yahoo Sports: Freeman refuses to chase power