Suited and booted in the aftermath of a celebration, Freddie Freeman reflected on the most difficult months of his career. He wore the wounds in the wake of the Los Angeles Dodgers clinching their 11th division title in 12 seasons, both physical and mental. “The last couple months have been trying to say the least,” Freeman said as he donned his division champions T-shirt.
Even that came with less-than-ideal circumstances. Advertisement The first baseman, who has fashioned himself as a modern ironman looked relieved, yet exhausted by it all. His right foot was in a boot, a byproduct of him spraining a right ankle trying to beat out an infield hit in the National League West clincher.
The middle finger on his right hand remains broken. Those ailments paled compared to the emotional throes of this season. Sure, his self-professed best friend in the sport, Jason Heyward , was cut just ahead of the season’s final month.
Freeman’s search for his swing lasted close to all season and frustrated him. Then there was July, when Freeman’s youngest son, Maximus, was hospitalized with a rare neurological disorder — Guillain-Barré syndrome — that temporarily left him paralyzed. The scars linger.
They should, and likely will remain for much longer than however far the Dodgers make it in the postseason. “Every day it’s a mental grind,” Freeman said last month while standing outside the Dodgers dugout. “I’m mentally exhausted.
It’s not just (Maximus) getting better.