Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman received a standing ovation before his first at-bat in more than a week on Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. Freeman had been absent from the Dodgers lineup since July 26 while he tended to his 3-year-old son, Maximus, who had been dealing with a neurological disorder.
Maximus was recently diagnosed with Guillen-Barré syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, Guillen-Barré syndrome is a “condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves. It can cause weakness, numbness or paralysis.” Maximus recently experienced a bout of paralysis, but is expected to make a full recovery following more than a week of hospitalization. (Freeman’s wife, Chelsea, posted on social media on Sunday that Maximus had been released from the hospital and was home.)
“He didn’t deserve this,” Freeman told reporters, including ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, before Monday’s game. “No one deserves this, anybody who goes through this. It’s not just my family. We were going every night, and every room is filled in the [pediatric ICU]. And that is heartbreaking. So many families are going through things like this. We’re one of the lucky ones that got Guillen-Barré that he might have a full recovery. There are kids out there who are fighting for their lives right now. It just puts everything in perspective.
“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. But he’s on his way. He’s on his way. It’s gonna be a long road.”
Freeman wore a shirt featuring the text “#MaxStrong” during his pregame presser. The rest of the Dodgers roster and coaching staff also wore the shirt in support during pregame warmups.
Freeman, 34, entered Monday hitting .288/.395/.493 in his first 104 games this season.
