Freddie Freeman’s plans for retirement and the arrival of his daughter

Freddie Freeman’s New Perspective on Baseball and Fatherhood

Freddie Freeman, the well-respected hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been focused on achieving greatness in baseball for years. But now, he admits that his priorities might be shifting as he embraces fatherhood.

Recently, Freeman shared how the arrival of his daughter, London Rosemary Joy, has changed his views on milestones and retirement in the sport. At 36, he still wishes to play until he’s 40, but it’s becoming more challenging to be away from his family.

“Since my baby girl came into the world about a month ago, my perspective on personal statistics has changed a little bit,” Freeman told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

It’s quite a significant realization for him.

With an impressive resume that boasts an MVP award and multiple World Series titles, Freeman was previously on a clear path to achieving the notable 3,000-hit milestone. But now, it feels like there’s more at stake.

He finds it tough to witness his daughter grow through FaceTime while he’s often on the road. As a father of four, he expresses that his longing to be home is stronger than ever.

“All I wanted was a family,” Freeman reflected, “but I also just wanted to play baseball. That’s very difficult.”

Even as he continues to perform well in his late 30s, Freeman grapples with how chasing personal records might mean missing out on significant family moments—like his daughter’s first steps or his sons’ sports events.

Currently, he stands 519 hits shy of the 3,000-mark. To reach this goal, he would need to outperform his recent activity over the next few seasons.

Interestingly, it was his grandfather, Ed, who might have helped him find clarity in his thoughts. Freeman recalls advice from him: “You’re going to be the best father and the best husband for the next 50 years,” which nudged him to reevaluate his time in baseball.