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Freddie Freeman gets ONE-MINUTE standing ovation from Dodgers fans following his tearful update on 3-year-old son Max's recovery
Freddie Freeman was greeted with a one-minute standing ovation in his emotional return to Dodger Stadium on Monday night after giving reporters an encouraging update on his son Max's battle with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
'Max is — he's doing all right,' a tearful Freeman told reporters before the Dodgers' 5-3 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
The All-Star first baseman was playing for the first time since July 25 after missing eight games while Max was in the hospital. The youngest of Freeman's three sons, Max was left temporarily paralyzed by the rare neurological disorder, which attacks the body's immune and nervous systems.
Max began to lose sensation in his feet before that numbness spread to his shoulders and ultimately affected his breathing. He was rushed to an Orange County hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator. Now Max is recovering at home, but Freeman cautioned his son still has a long way to go.
'Seeing one of your kids on a ventilator fighting, it was hard,' Freeman said during the pre-game press conference. 'I know you parents understand that. You'd switch in a second to take that pain, that suffering away from your kid in a heartbeat. When you feel hopeless, like [my wife] Chelsea and I did, that's hard.
Freeman acknowledges applause from fans at the plate as he returns to the lineup
Freddie Freeman's son Max, 3, is 'miraculously' home after eight days in the hospital
'He's doing OK. His personality's back. He's Max. He's doing good in that aspect. But he's got to relearn how to do pretty much everything. Terrible syndrome, Guillain-Barré.'
When asked how he was doing personally, Freeman said that both he and wife Chelsea are relieved.
'It's a good thing I'm here, because it means things are trending better,' Freeman said. 'Chelsea and I — it's been a long week. No one should have to go through this, especially a 3-year-old.'
Prior to the game, Freeman and his Dodgers teammates warmed up in blue t-shirts reading '#Maxstrong.'
And it wasn't only Dodgers fans who expressed some love for Freeman on Monday as he went 1 for 4 with a single.
Even the Phillies offered Freeman a standing ovation as he returned to the plate in the first inning.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman waves to the stands during the first inning
Freddie Freeman and wife Chelsea gave an update on their son Max's (L) condition last week
Later Freeman singled in the third amid chants of 'Freddie! Freddie!' only to get a warm embrace from Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper after reaching safely.
'Bryce probably texts at least four times during the nine days, really checking in,' Freeman said, adding that several other Phillies extended him warm wishes as well.
Later Freeman admitted to being 'tired and worn out' while speaking with reporters following the win.
'It's just an emotional day,' he said.
'I can't thank the Dodgers fans enough,' Freeman said. 'Made it a lot more special to be able to come back and do it in a win. Made it really hard to hit in that first at-bat.'
The emotions, he joked, may have contributed to his 1-for-4 performance at the plate.
'When you're crying on a Major League Baseball field, it's really hard to hit a pitch that's coming.'