"If I wasn't taking pills, it would make my vision go blurry" - When Freddie Freeman was desperate to play for Braves at the cost of health

Freddie Freeman has been one of the top first baseman in the league since he made his Major League Baseball debut in 2010. Although Freeman has enjoyed tremendous success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in recent years, the future Hall of Famer made a name for himself with the Atlanta Braves.

After being selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2007 MLB Draft, Freddie Freeman became a fan-favorite thanks to his lovable personality, his incredible talent on the field, and his desire to win. It was something that was on full display in 2019 when he did whatever he could to try and help the Braves push for a World Series title.

In a 2020 interview with Jeff Schultz of The Athletic, the All-Star slugger explained how he was doing everything possible to remain in the lineup in order to help his club. Freeman was battling through a bone spur in his right elbow, which ultimately required surgery that offseason to repair the injury.

While there's no denying Freddie Freeman's desire to win every game, the first baseman relied on more than his competitive nature to power through the 2019 season. Freeman use a combination of treatments to help keep him on the field, including painkiller shots and a cortisone injection. He also used painkillers to help deal with the bone spurs in his elbow but needed to be weary of when he took them or else they would affect his vision.

“If I wasn’t taking the really hard pain pills, I was taking as many extra strength Tylenols as I could,” he said. "It would make my vision go kind of blurry," Freeman continued about what could happen if he took the painkillers too close to game-time.

The Atlanta Braves were ultimately eliminated from the postseason by the eventual World Series champion Washington Nationals, but Freddie Freeman explained how his injury likely would have limited him moving forward, stating that one of the bone spurs was on the verge of taking him out of the lineup.

“Pretty much cracked in half and was going to drop off,” Freeman said of one of the bone spurs in his elbow.

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Freddie Freeman's tenure with the Atlanta Braves came to a bittersweet ending

Despite cementing himself as a club icon, things with the Atlanta Braves ended in true bittersweet fashion. After 12 seasons with the club, Freddie Freeman and the Braves finally secured a World Series title. While Jorge Soler eventually earned the World Series MVP, Freeman certainly made a case for himself to win the award.

Nevertheless, after winning the World Series title, Freddie Freeman hit unrestricted free agency and was unable to secure an extension with the Braves. After negotiations between the Braves and Freeman's agent could not reach any traction, the first baseman eventually made his way to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Last season, Freeman showed his toughness yet again, battling through a severely sprained ankle to not only win his second title but also perform in the clutch time and time again, securing the World Series MVP award in the process.