Baseball: Freeman joining Dodgers in $162 mn deal

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman has agreed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in a six-year $162 million deal, multiple US reports said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old slugger, a pivotal figure in the Braves' World Series victory last year, had been one of the most coveted targets of free agency.

The Dodgers won the race for Freeman's signature amid competition from several teams including the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

Freeman's deal is worth an average of $27 million a season, making him the second highest-paid first baseman in Major League Baseball.

Freeman's exit from the Braves had been more or less assured on Tuesday after Atlanta swooped for the Oakland Athletics' first baseman Matt Olson.

Earlier Wednesday, Freeman penned a message of thanks to Atlanta fans on his Instagram page, without revealing his new destination.

"It has been a blast to have you cheer for me and I hope I was able to bring smiles to a lot of your homes over the years," Freeman wrote.

"I gave everything I had day in and day out and I hope you guys saw that as well. Although our time has come to an end, I look forward to seeing and playing in front of you all again.

"When that time comes, I hope you remember all the wonderful memories we made together."

Freeman is a five-time National League All-Star and won the league's MVP award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The southern California-born star has 271 career home runs and 1,704 career hits.