Last month, there came a moment, when Freddie Freeman had to leave the Los Angeles Dodgers team from a series against the Houston Astros due to his son, Maximus falling seriously ill. The 3-year-old was diagnosed with Guillain Barré Syndrome.
As soon as he received the news, Freeman decided to prioritize his family and rushed to be by his son’s side. Maximus’ condition became so serious that he experienced paralysis, leading to hospital visits, medical procedures, and constant worry for both Freeman and his wife, Chelsea.
As the toddler showed signs of recovery, the 2024 All-Star rejoined the Dodgers lineup on August 6 but his emotions were visibly raw. During an interview at Dodger Stadium, he wore a T-shirt displaying “MaxStrong” on it.
Now, a week later, LA Dodgers pitcher, Tyler Glasnow on the Chris Rose Sports podcast looked back on Freeman’s emotional comeback to the team.
As per Glasnow, for Freddy, the return after Maximus’ health scare went beyond the pressures of a baseball game. So much so that, Glasnow was drawn in by the TV broadcast that aired the 8×All-Star’s revival.
Moreover, Glasnow pointed out how it needs to be remembered that beyond being a star MLB player, Freeman is also a dedicated father. The illness of his son had a big impact on him even though he did not openly show his emotions.
For the Dodgers, it wasn’t about baseball anymore. The entire team felt the weight of Freeman’s situation balancing their focus between the MLB games and concern for their teammate’s son.
Glasnow described this as an experience, unlike anything he had faced before, where a teammate’s personal life challenges are far more important than anything happening on the field, noting:
“It was so much bigger than baseball that it made stressing about baseball seem pointless, in a sense.”
The Dodgers were able to breath a huge sigh of relief when Max Freeman’s health took a turn for the better pic.twitter.com/5OVnXHbTeu
— Chris Rose Sports (@ChrisRoseSports) August 13, 2024
Reflecting on his son’s health scare and its impact on him, Freddie Freeman was once again moved to tears by a standing ovation before his at-bat in the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over the Phillies.
Freeman breaks down in tears during the standing ovation
Eight days ago, Freeman returned to play first base and bat third for the LA Dodgers in a three-game series against the Phillies.
The moment he stepped out of the dugout, the crowd welcomed him with a prolonged standing ovation before his first at-bat, with even the Phillies joining in the applause from their dugout.
The pitch clock was paused as Freeman stepped out of the batter’s box, took off his helmet, and acknowledged the crowd by waving and placing his hand on his chest.
“I was managing to tip my hat fine when I noticed my dad sitting in the front row with my stepmom. He seemed emotional—maybe not tears but definitely choked up… That really touched me.”
The 2018 Gold Glove Award winner is balancing his MLB games with his son’s recovery. His main motivation is to see progress in his son, but he feels uncertain about how he will manage playing for the rest of the season.
