Freddie Freeman’s wife says COVID-19 hit him ‘like a ton of bricks’

Braves 1B Freddie Freeman tested positive on Friday.

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman did everything he was supposed to do. He stayed away from public gatherings, didn’t leave the house, only interacted with a tiny circle of family members. He’s also a finely conditioned, perfectly healthy 30-year-old athlete. None of this mattered when it came to COVID-19.

Freeman’s wife, Chelsea, took to social media on Saturday to update the status of her husband, who tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday. Her message was clear and simple: if this could happen to him, it could happen to anyone.

“Most of you might know by now…Freddie tested positive for Covid-19 last night. He has had body aches, headaches, chills and a high fever since Thursday. He is someone who literally never gets sick and this virus hit him like a ton of bricks,” she wrote.

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The onset of the virus came suddenly to Freeman. He tested negative earlier in the week during the Braves intake process and was preparing to take the field with his teammates for the opening of training camp on Friday. That’s when he learned of his positive test. Manager Brian Snitker revealed that he spoke to Freeman afterward and his All-Star player isn’t “feeling great. It will be a while before we can get him back.”

Chelsea Freeman says the family has taken every precaution over the past few months. “We’ve been really strict for the last 4 months,” she wrote. “Haven’t gone to a grocery store, haven’t gone out to dinner once, haven’t seen our friends and only allowed family at our house and we still got it.” Fortunately, she and son Charlie are both feeling fine.

Other Braves have tested positive for COVID-19

The virus has struck the Braves camp particularly hard. Pitchers Will Smith and Touki Touissant also tested positive on Friday, although both are asymptomatic. Pete Kozma, part of the Braves satellite camp at Coolray Field, was exhibiting symptoms earlier in the week but says he’s felt better the past two days. Snitker revealed on Saturday that 53-year-old first base coach Eric Young will sit out the season and only communicate with the players remotely.

The Braves are coming off a 97-win season in 2019, the most for the franchise since 2003, and their second straight NL East title. Freeman was an integral part of their lineup; he hit 38 home runs and drove in 121 last season, only the third Braves infielder in franchise history to reach those milestones. Losing him for even part of the season would be a huge blow to the club.

But this isn’t about his status as a baseball player. Chelsea’s post revealed that this is an actual person, a loving husband and father who’s been struck by a deadly virus. That’s where the focus of every Braves fan should be, hoping that Freeman makes a full recovery and not just because he’s a great baseball player.