Pittsburgh Pirates Sign Former World Series MVP David Freese


The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed former St. Louis Cardinals’ third baseman and World Series hero David Freese to a one-year, $3 million deal, the team announced on Friday.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates announced that 24-year-old left-hander Jesse Biddle has been designated for assignment. The team noted that Freese will wear No. 7 with the Bucs.

Freese, 33 in April, has primarily played at third base during his career, but will receive playing time at other positions this season. After spending the first five years of his career with the Cardinals, he spent the past two years manning the hot corner for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

During his two seasons in California, the former National League All-Star hit a combined.258 with 24 HR and 111 RBI. Fangraphs rates Freese as an average defender at third base over the past few seasons.

The Pirates currently have a platoon of John Jaso/Michael Morse (1B), Josh Harrison (3B), Jung-Ho Kang (2B), and Jordy Mercy (SS) penciled into their infield. Barring injuries, fellow infielders Pedro Florimon and Sean Rodriguez will start the season on the bench.

Per MLB Trade Rumors, Kang suffered a “torn MCL and meniscus as well as a fractured tibial plateau” last season, putting him out of action for six to eight months. He is not expected to be ready by Opening Day. Also, after a strong All-Star campaign in 2014, Harrison suffered through an injury-riddled season last year.

However, Adam Berry of MLB.com adamantly reports that Freese will be a bench option for the Pirates at multiple positions.

In his reduced role, the Pirates will hope that Freese can replicate his past heroics with the Cardinals that culminated with a World Series title and several Most Valuable Player awards on his mantle.

During the 2011 postseason, Freese carried the Cardinals single-handedly at times as they chased their 11th World Series title. After hitting.278 with one HR and five RBI in a five-game series win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series (NLDS), Freese’s production started to resemble video game numbers.

[Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images]
[Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images]
Freese hit.545 with three HR, nine RBI, seven runs, and 12 hits against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). That six game series earned him NLCS MVP honors as the Cardinals headed to the World Series to face the Texas Rangers.

The World Series is where Freese cemented his place in history. With the Cardinals down by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 6, facing elimination, Freese hit a two-out triple to tie the game. Two innings later in the bottom of the 11th, he hit a walk-off home run, forcing a Game 7.

The Cardinals went on to defeat the Rangers in Game 7 with Freese leading the way, again. He hit a two-run double in the first inning, bringing his World Series line to.348 with one HR and seven RBI.

All told, Freese hit.390 with five HR and an MLB record 21 RBI in the postseason. In addition to the NLCS and World Series MVP awards, Freese’s efforts earned him the Babe Ruth award, given to the MVP of the entire postseason.

While Freese has not matched his World Series exploits in subsequent seasons, he’s still a reliable career.276 career hitter with steady defense and a flair for the dramatic.

[Featured Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]

Share this article: Pittsburgh Pirates Sign Former World Series MVP David Freese
More from Inquisitr