With his 300th, Freeman is part of a rare Dodger home run history
by Mark Langill
Freddie Freeman’s 300th career home run was a grand one. Freeman’s blast on May 18 in St. Louis, with the bags packed, made him the second player in Major League history to hit a grand slam for his 300th career homer. The other player was Ruben Sierra, who hit his slam in 2004.
As far as Dodger milestones, Freeman became the fifth player to hit his 300th career home run in a Dodger uniform, joining Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Gary Sheffield, and Adrián González
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The respective 300th home runs by Snider and Hodges occurred against the same pitcher in different Dodger home ballparks. Cubs right-hander Dick Drott allowed Snider’s 300th home run at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field on July 7, 1957. The Dodgers moved to the West Coast in 1958 and Drott served up Hodges’ blast during the team’s first homestand at the Los Angeles Coliseum on April 23.
Sheffield hit №300 on July 21, 2001 off Colorado’s Denny Neagle at Coors Field. He added another home run that day off reliever Dan Miceli.
González’s 300th home run was against Boston’s Junichi Tazawa at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 8, 2016. González had been acquired from the Red Sox in a 2012 blockbuster trade. González hit a home run in his first plate appearance as a Dodger against Miami on Aug. 25, 2012, which was career home run№169.
Freeman is the 155th Major League player to join the 300 Home Run Club. That list includes 27 former Dodgers, ranging from Albert Pujols (703 career home runs) to Steve Finley (304). Among those players, four hit the majority of their home runs with the Dodgers — Snider, Hodges, Ron Cey, and Sheffield.
Freeman compiled 271 home runs with Atlanta between 2010 and 2021. He hit 21 homers in his first season with the Dodgers in 2022.
Eric Karros, the all-time Los Angeles home run leader (270), ranks third in franchise history behind Snider (389) and Hodges (361).
