The team granted him leave on Friday, and the first baseman returned to Southern California to be by his three-
year-old son’s side as he battles an ailment. The Dodgers were in Houston on Friday to open a three-game series
with , but Freeman was scratched from Friday night’s lineup.
Freddie’s wife, Chelsea, recently opened up about their son Maximus’ health condition. In a social media post, Chelsea
revealed that the three-year-old has been diagnosed with transient synovitis.
The temporary condition can cause hip inflammation and usually occurs in young boys, according to the National
Institutes of Health. The ailment can make sitting, standing, or walking difficult. Maximus would not eat for a few days, Chelsea said.
The Freeman family received some good news when Maximus was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, but
there was always a possibility that he could return. “[I]f he doesn’t improve in
48 hours he needs to go back to the hospital,” Chelsea wrote.
“I just know that something spurred it where he feels like he’s got to go home. … He’s trying to be here for the team and
also be there for his family. But when your child is going through things, it’s
just hard to be present, and rightfully so,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Roberts added that the team continues to weigh whether to remove the eight-time
All-Star from the active roster and place him on the family leave list. If Freeman is moved to the family leave list, he
would have to sit out a minimum of three games.
