Freddie Freeman made an emotional return to the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Monday night and struck out in his first at-bat after receiving a prolonged standing ovation from fans in attendance at Dodger Stadium.
Freeman became teary eyed as he tipped his helmet to express gratitude for fans welcoming him back after a harrowing period of being away from the team while his son was hospitalized due to a neurological condition.
Maximus, one of three sons Freeman has with wife Chelsea, was released and started recovering from home last weekend. That paved the way for Freeman to return to the Dodgers, and that initial strikeout aside, he’s hit without skipping a beat.
Freeman has hit safely in all four games since returning, including going 2-for-3 with a double, home run and walk in the Dodgers’ win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
“You never know how you’re going to go after 10 days, pretty much off, of live pitching,” Freeman said. “But when I was moving, I hit a few times. I’ve been actually seeing the ball OK. I don’t know, hopefully we just keep it going and not really worry about it.
“But yeah, I didn’t know how I was going to do when I first came back with not seeing live pitching. But ultimately, I have seen the ball actually okay. And I’m hitting the balls when they’re strikes right now.”
Overall this season, Freeman is batting .292./.396/.503 with 28 doubles, 17 home runs and 71 RBI entering play on Saturday.
Dodgers impressed by Freddie Freeman
When Freeman initially went on family emergency leave, he was dedicated to remaining in the hospital as his son battled through a significant health scare. It wasn’t until Max was taken off a ventilator and later feeding tube, that Freeman started to work out at his former high school.
“Shocked,” answered Roberts when asked for his thoughts on how well Freeman has fared since returning. “He had eight or nine days at home, and the last couple, I think he started getting his body moving again and went to his old high school to swing the bat.
“And then he comes into Major League games and throws out a double, hits a homer. I can’t imagine that. Four days over an All-Star break, guys get rusty, and this guy, eight or nine days spent with his family, to come out and not miss a beat is pretty remarkable.”
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