Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman revealed Thursday that his 3-year-old son has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Freeman, who has been away from the Dodgers and has been placed on the family emergency list, shared the update with his wife, Chelsea, in an Instagram post. Their son, Maximus, has been in and out of the hospital over the past few weeks.
“These have been the hardest and scariest days of our lives,” the couple wrote on Instagram, in part. “Maximus is such a special boy and has fought SO hard. It will be a journey of recovery, but we have faith that he will be completely healed.”
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can cause weakness, numbness or paralysis — which is what Freeman said happened to Max last week. There is no cure for the disease, but most people recover completely.
Freeman was eliminated from the Dodgers’ lineup last Friday night before their matchup with the Astros in Houston. He flew back home to Southern California to be with his family, and staff placed him on the family emergency list a few days later. He hasn’t played since.
Maximus has been in and out of the hospital over the past few weeks. Chelsea said he first had a viral infection last month around the All-Star Game. Freeman was also seen running out of the Dodgers clubhouse after a game last week after Maximus was rushed to the hospital.
“When your kid is going through things, it’s hard to be there, and rightfully so,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last week when Freeman left the team. “He certainly had a heavy heart the last few days, and I just pray that Max recovers well and makes a full recovery.”
It is unclear when Freeman will return to the Dodgers.
Freeman is in his third season with the Dodgers this summer. The eight-time All-Star is batting .288 and has 16 home runs with 67 RBI in 104 games. The Dodgers currently hold a 63-46 record, which is good for a 4.5-game lead in the NL West standings. They will open a three-game series with the Oakland A’s on Friday.
