Freeman's wife feared retirement during family emergency

Freddie Freeman's wife, Chelsea, shared that she thought her husband might retire last year due to a serious family emergency. In July 2024, Freeman took a break from the Los Angeles Dodgers to support their son, Maximus, who was hospitalized after being diagnosed with a rare case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Chelsea said that if Maximus had not improved, Freeman might not have returned to the game. Fortunately, Maximus did recover, which Chelsea called a miracle. This allowed Freeman to finish the season strongly. However, he missed the Dodgers' season-opening game in 2025 against the Chicago Cubs because of a rib injury. Despite this, he performed well during the postseason in 2024, helping the Dodgers win the World Series against the New York Yankees. Freeman hit a game-winning home run in the first game of the World Series, a grand slam that came in the 10th inning. Even with injuries, he had an impressive postseason, batting .300 with four home runs and 12 RBIs, earning him MVP honors. Freeman's journey back to the field was emotional. He left the team for a time after Maximus was hospitalized but returned just a day after his son was discharged from the hospital. Freeman has had a successful career, earning eight All-Star selections and previously playing for the Atlanta Braves, where he won the World Series in 2021. He signed a six-year contract with the Dodgers in March 2022, valued at $162 million.