In March the Colorado Rockies traded Nolan Joes back to the Cleveland Guardians for utility player Tyler Freeman. The initial logic seemed clear: Although Jones had clear power potential, he struggled in 2024 — plus, the Rockies already had an excess inventory of outfielders. In Freeman, they were acquiring yet another utility player.
Freeman did not see much action with the Rockies before going on the IL with a left oblique injury. The action he did see was not promising: 2-for-17.
However, since returning and being moved to right field, a position he has never played, Freeman has been solid
Currently, he on an eight-game hitting streak (a career high) that find hims slashing .306/.366/.468 (1.319 OPS). He’s also 12-for-25 and has the highest OBP and SLG of his career. (His next-highest SLG? That would be .366 in 2023, so Freeman is substantially improved.)
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer likes what he sees.
“I love Tyler Freeman’s skill set,” he said, “the way he puts the ball in play, the way he battles, the way he comes to the yard every day ready to go.”
Freeman’s success hitting in the ninth spot is also notable.
“I like him in the nine hole,” Schaeffer said. “I think he has the perfect skill set to be able to turn the lineup over, get back to the top. It’s like the second lead-off coming ready for Beck.”
For Tyler Freeman, a few adjustments have helped him get where he is.
Improving at the plate
“As weird as it sounds, going on the IL was kind of the best thing to happen to me,” Freeman said.
The pause gave him time to reorient himself. It allowed him to “take a breather, take a step back.
He realized, too, that he was doing too much and trying too hard to “make a very quick impression.”
Working with hitting coach Jordan Pacheco changed that.
“We kind of sat down, and he said, ‘Hey, let’s try to create who you want to be as a player.’ And I was like, ‘I just kind of want to be myself again, and that’s getting on base, getting base hits, stop trying to lift the ball, and letting guys drive me in.”
To meet that goal, Freeman made some mechanical changes.
“I felt like my load, I was really trying to do too much,” he said. “I was stepping very far forward and loading into my back knee a little bit more than I usually do.”
The correction involved simplifying his approach at the plate.
Learning right field
The new position has created a learning experience for Freeman.
“It’s been adjustment for sure,” Freeman said.
“You know, center field is more of — you can kind of see the angles better off the bat. That’s kind of where I played most last year. And then right field, it’s just the ball slices a lot more. And that’s the biggest thing I’m adjusting to,” he said.
Further complicating matters is that in center field, he has a clearer view of where the ball will travel.
Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
“If the guy squares it up, it’s kind of tough to tell, so you got to have really good first steps in right field. So that’s the biggest thing I’ve been adjusting to.”
And then there’s the isolation that comes with playing in the outfield.
“You’re on your own island out there, for sure,” Freeman said, “especially if you do make a mistake.”
But he’s embraced the challenge: “For me, it’s a new challenge. And I love challenges, so learning right field has definitely been awesome.”
Hustling on the base paths
His favorite play of the season so far?
That would be the double he hit off Kodai Senga Friday night. (View it here.)
“The hustle double, in my opinion, that’s the type of player I am,” Freeman said, “and what I bring to the bring to this team is energy and trying to bring my game on the base paths, be aggressive.”
He added, “I saw the ball in the gap, so I took my chance. And, you know, I’d rather make a mistake being aggressive than not aggressive.”
All in all, Freeman was a surprise offseason acquisition that was met with some questions and grumbles by Rockies fans. However, as the season has progressed, he is quietly making his presence known and having a solid, if largely unnoticed, season.
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The week on the internet
Ryan Spilborghs reviews the New York Mets–Colorado Rockies series, which was not good, but there’s news: He’s shooting a new Taco Bell commercial!
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Look, anything that reduces the number of times I watch “Funny thing about bread makers” is a win in my book.
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Hunter Goodman is having a solid season, but in this piece, Patrick Saunders talks with Daron Schoenrock, Goodman’s coach at the University of Memphis, and his insights are interesting.
Check this out: “He has really strong cognitive skills behind the plate,” the coach said. “When Hunter would come to the plate, he would often swing at pitches, or take pitches, based on the umpire’s strike zone that day. He was able to translate that. As a junior, when he became our regular catcher, it enhanced his ability to handle the strike zone — as a hitter.”
One intriguing trade chip for each team at 2025 Deadline | MLB.com
Thomas Harding suggests Jake Bird is that candidate for the Rockies.
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