Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers returned to the mound in 10 days at a home game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. Freeman has been absent due to health issues of his youngest son Maximus since a home game against the San Francisco Giants on June 26.
According to U.S. media, including MLBcom, Freeman’s son Maximus was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease called Guillain-Barre syndrome and is being hospitalized and treated. He was not in good condition enough to be admitted to the intensive care unit, but his condition recently improved and he was transferred to a general hospital room.
Freeman appeared in the interview room at Dodger Stadium wearing a t-shirt with the words “Max Strong” written on it ahead of the match. And he shed tears in front of reporters. According to MLB.com , “It’s great that I’m here because it means things are getting better. Chelsea (wife) and I have had a long past nine days. Like a 3-year-old boy, no one should go through this. Chelsea and I don’t know how many times we have said we want our situation to change.”
With his son’s life in danger, he had no choice but to keep his room. He managed to take a breather and return to the ground. Freeman said, “Max is doing well. He’s back from ICU. He started physical therapy yesterday. He hates it, but he’s doing great. It’s terrible, but it’s getting better.”
Freeman confessed he was deeply heartbroken on his way home after receiving a call from his wife. “The paralysis doesn’t take that long to change your body. It’s up to your shoulder within four days, and it affects your diaphragm and your breathing. It was horrible. It was unimaginable.”
Still, his physical condition improved a lot on a ventilator. And he was discharged on the 3rd. Freeman joined the Dodgers’ squad after seeing his son enter the house safely. In addition, not only the Dodgers but also Freeman’s former team, the Atlanta Braves, supported Freeman. Freeman has been signing a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers since 2022.토토사이트 추천
“I cried a lot. It goes without saying what the Dodgers have meant to me and my family for the past nine days,” Freeman said. When he received a standing ovation from spectators at Dodger Stadium in his first at-bat on the day, Freeman burst into tears once again.