“I wear sleeves every game” - When Freddie Freeman disclosed heartfelt gestures Dodgers star undertook to feel closer to his mother

Freddie Freeman's mother passed away due to melanoma (a kind of skin cancer) when he was just 10 years old in 2000. Ever since, Freeman has been trying to live up to the legacy of her mother on and off the field.

Almost a year ago, in May 2023, Freeman opened up about why he plays for Team Canada instead of Team USA in baseball tournaments in an interview with the LA Dodgers.

"To play, it's to honor my mom. And if most Dodger fans don't know, I do. There's a lot of things that go into each game that I do for remembering my mom," Freddie Freeman said. "I wear sleeves every game, that is for my mom because she passed away of King's cancer. So, every time I put on my tight sleeves, it makes me think of her."

"I wear a cross around my neck that unscrews and has her hair inside of it," he added. "Um, so Dodger fans, when you get to know me, pretty much everything I do is for my mom, and this is what I feel is right." [1:04 onwards].

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Freddie Freeman played for Team Canada in WBC 2023 to honor her mother

Many fans were surprised when Freddie opted to play for Team Canada instead of the USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. It was to keep the legacy of Rosemary Freeman alive.

“I love doing this,’’ Freeman said, “because it keeps my mom’s memory alive. “As long as we keep Rosemary Freeman’s name alive, that's what means the most to me.’’

Though Freddie was born in California, both his parents were from Canada. His mother was from Peterborough, while his father was from Windsor. Before the birth of Freddie, the couple shifted their base to the United States.

“I’m not sure this is what she’d want me to do,’’ Freeman said about his decision to represent Canada. “But in my heart, this is what I feel I should be doing, to honor her. I don’t know if she would say, ‘I want you to put on the Canadian uniform and go play.’ I don’t know. But in my heart, this is what I feel is the right decision."

“She’s cheering for me no matter what uniform I have on. I think she would be proud I’m doing this. We don’t really know, but you go with what your heart says, and I think this is the right move," he added.

For now, Freddie Freeman has achieved everything her mother wanted him to be. Every day he takes the field, the 34-year-old remembers her mother through his arm sleeves.