Frederick Freeman, better known as Freddie, has captivated the hearts of many beyond Los Angeles this season. From being named the World Series Most Valuable Player to being a resilient father and son, it is safe to say that this recognition is long overdue.
Courtesy of Ashley Landis, AP Photo
The 35-year-old Canadian-American first baseman is from Fountain Valley, Calif. He began playing baseball at four years old, learning alongside his brothers taught by his father, Fred.
At just 10 years old, Freeman lost his mother Rosemary after a long battle with melanoma. Prior to her passing, she was able to witness his first home run – better yet, she was able to escape it. Freeman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that when he was nine years old, his mother was walking the family dog around the outfield fence when the ball hit a light post just a few steps ahead of her.
Courtesy of Major League Baseball
Freeman honors his mother decades after her passing. He wears a cross-shaped locket with pieces of her hair inside, while wearing a long-sleeve shirt under his jersey, even on the hottest days. Both of his parents are native Canadians, motivating Freeman to represent Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic twice now.
As if young Freddie had not already gone through enough grief losing one parent, he came close to losing his father at 12 years old to congestive heart failure, he shared in an emotional 60-minute ESPN interview. This close call fueled the connection between one another and has made every accomplishment even more bittersweet.
Despite being born and raised in Orange County, Freeman was a second-round draft pick for the Atlanta Braves right out of high school in 2007. His father was not immediately pleased, however, when this meant his son would reject his full-ride baseball scholarship to California State University, Fullerton – but this was what Freddie wanted to do.
He made his major league debut in 2010, and played for the Braves until he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. The trade came after the Braves’ World Series win in 2021, the first season back post-pandemic.
Courtesy of Chelsea Freeman via Instagram
Freeman met his wife, Chelsea in 2011, while she was in college and he was playing for the Braves. They married in 2014 and have since had three children, their three year olds Brandon and Maximus, and eight year old Charlie.
After experiencing fertility struggles following the birth of their first son, the couple decided to use a surrogate to keep their family growing. Much to their surprise, Chelsea found out she was pregnant at the same time as the surrogate – and their “twins with a twist” were born almost two months apart.
In late July during the Dodgers’ series against the Astros, Freeman unexpectedly flew home to be with his family upon discovering his son, Max’s health issues. He was unable to sit, stand, or walk and was taken to the hospital, diagnosed with an irritable hip. Days later he went into full-body paralysis and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome – a rare autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system.
Courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA Today Sports
In the wake of this diagnosis, Freeman spent eight games away from the Dodgers, spending time with his family while Max began relearning how to walk again. Upon his return, the team donned matching warm up shirts that read #MaxStrong before their series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 5.
Aside from his professional accolades, a clubhouse in Freeman’s name opened in March at his alma mater, El Modena High School in Orange, Calif. He revealed during his interview on New Heights that he and his father still visit the school for about an hour’s worth of batting practice at least once during each offseason.
Courtesy of Chelsea Freeman via Instagram
Being the first player in history to hit a walk-off grand slam in game one of the World Series was a reflection of Freeman’s hard work on and off the field. As were the next four home runs throughout the series. Though the true testament to his character has been that despite all the trials and tribulations, he shows up for his family, friends, and team. That is the making of a true MVP.
Edited by Breanna Ebisch
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