Los Angeles Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman finally returned to action on Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium after over a week of absence to take care of his ailing son, Maximus, who dealt with a health scare.
Freeman was emotional in his first game back, especially with all the support he got from everyone upon his return. Dodgers players and coaches donned t-shirts with an uplifting message for Max, who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. It is a condition where one's immune system “damages nerve,” which “causes muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis,” according to the official website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Freeman received a warm welcome from Dodgers fans as well before he took his place at the plate for his first at-bat versus the Phillies.
After the Dodgers' 5-3 victory over Philadelphia. Freeman opened up about the ordeal he and his family went through during his absence.
“I know Dodger fans don't like this, but I would gladly strike out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 of the World Series 300 million times in a row than see that again,” the 2020 National League Most Valuable Player said, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
“But he's on his way. He's on his way. It's going to be a long road.”
Prior to Monday's Philly game, Freeman last saw action during a July 25 game against the San Francisco Giants at home. He flew with the Dodgers to Texas for a series against the Houston Astros but had to catch another flight back to California after learning that Max's doctor advised his wife, Chelsea, that their son had to be taken to a hospital.
“I'm just very thankful for the baseball community, lifting up Max in prayer and love and support,” Freeman shared on Monday.
“It's going to be a long journey for him, but it's a beautiful thing that he's on the path to being recovered.”
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers extend win streak
Freddie Freeman went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts versus Philadelphia, dropping his season batting average from .288 to .287. But the thought that Max is recovering and getting better matters more to him than how he fared with his bat in his return. While Freeman did not have a fantastic day offensively, his teammate, Shohei Ohtani delivered the goods for Los Angeles. The two-time American League MVP and four-time MLB All-Star went 2-for-3 with RBIs and a home run. His solo blast in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Dodgers some insurance.
Tyler Glasnow picked up the pitching win for the Dodgers, as he gave up three earned runs on five hits with nine strikeouts across 6.0 innings of work. Daniel Hudson got the save for Los Angeles which extended its win streak to three games.
Freeman and the Dodgers will try to extend that undefeated run when they give the ball to future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw this Tuesday for the second game of the Phillies series.
The Dodgers, who have won five of their last 10 games, are still atop the National League West division with a 66-47 record — just five games ahead of the surging Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres in the standings. Both the Diamondbacks and the Padres have won eight of their last 10 outings.
Follow Us
Subscribe