The return of Freddie Freeman to Atlanta was always going to be weird, but I’m not sure people realized just how awkward it was going to feel. The longtime face of the Braves franchise couldn’t help but fight back tears for all three games of the series. Even late in Game 3, you could see him tearing up at several critical junctures.
It was obvious how much Atlanta meant to him, and it was so apparent that Clayton Kershaw even commented on it publicly, stating, “I hope we’re not second fiddle.”
“He’s obviously been a big contributor for our team. And I hope we’re not second fiddle.”-Clayton Kershaw to @GabeBurnsAJC https://t.co/pwblmMvTDx pic.twitter.com/JiafX6FQMi
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) June 26, 2022
The problem, at least for the Dodgers, is it was so overwhelmingly clear that they are second fiddle throughout the weekend. At any moment, it felt as if Freeman might take off into the dugout and come out donning a tomahawk across his chest. The hypothetical that he might regret his decision is no longer just a thought; it is reality.
Freeman wishes he was still a Brave, and to make matters even worse, it’s now come out that he has parted ways with his agency, who he was reportedly upset with because of the way they handled his free agent negotiations.
Email sent by union Sunday to baseball agents:
Please Do Not Contact Freddie Freeman
To All Agents,
Freddie Freeman has requested not to be contacted by any Agents …
(This email is often sent when a player changes agents, and @Buster_ESPN reports Freeman is changing agents)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 28, 2022
Unfortunately, it’s too late to correct the situation. Would I love for Freeman to still be in Atlanta? Absolutely… but he’s signed with the Dodgers for the next six seasons, and the idea of trading back for him is a pipe dream.
It’s well past time for both sides to move on, but it appears that has been a little more difficult for Freeman. He’s still having a fantastic year for Los Angeles and getting out of Atlanta should do him some good, but you have to wonder how the rest of the clubhouse will react to what has transpired over the last week. I think Kershaw’s words were telling, so it’s worth monitoring moving forward. Perhaps Freddie’s plan was always to do the Lord’s work and tear the Dodgers down from the inside out.
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