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Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman is set to miss the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and elaborated on the personal reason as to why he won’t be at the tournament.
Freeman also said Team Canada — for whom he has played in both of the last two WBC tournaments —supported his decision in withdrawing for the tournament. The veteran’s parents are both from Ontario, Canada, so he is eligible to represent the team due to his dual citizenship.
“I wasn’t (going to be) able to go out there and play and be in Puerto Rico (for the group stage games) and be that far from my family,” Freeman said. “I needed to be close to California.”
Freeman is a native of the Los Angeles area, having spent his adolescence in Orange County. Team Canada is in Pool A of the WBC, and will play all of their group stage games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
How Did Freddie Freeman Perform in his Previous WBC Appearances?
Freeman’s first WBC appearance came with Team Canada in 2017, playing three games during the tournament. He had two singles in 11 at-bats for an even .182/.182/.182 slash line.
The All-Star came back in 2023, though he also struggled in his return to the world stage. He batted .200 with three runs, posting a .473 OPS. He suffered a hamstring injury in a game against Team Columbia, but managed to return to the team before the beginning of the regular season.
Team Canada didn’t advance past the group stage in either of the two tournaments.
Will Freddie Freeman Be Available for the Dodgers at the Beginning of the Season?
While Freeman has publicly announced he won’t be participating in the WBC, he hasn’t given any notion that he won’t be ready to go come the beginning of the regular season.
Freeman has historically been reliable during the regular season, playing at least 100 games in each of the last 15 seasons excluding 2020.
The first baseman is a key player for the Dodgers, and has been fantastic since arriving ahead of the 2022 season. During his four-year tenure in L.A., he has 96 home runs and 381 RBIs while boasting a .907 OPS through 614 games.
The Dodgers will hope he can come back as strong as ever during the regular season as they chase another World Series title.
