Freddie Freeman said it was a really tough decision to withdraw from Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring.
Freeman sustained the injury during Tuesday's 5-0 win over Colombia, and the first baseman missed Wednesday's 10-3 loss to Mexico as he returned his MLB club, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to seek treatment.
The 33-year-old spoke with Dodgers reporters and said he apologized to Canadian coach Greg Hamilton for having to pull out of the tournament.
"I feel like I let them down," Freeman said. "That's just how I feel. He obviously reassured that I didn’t."
This was the second time Freeman played for Canada after donning the Maple Leaf for the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Born and raised in California, Freeman opted to compete for Canada to honour his late mother Rosemary, who was from Peterborough, Ont., and died of melanoma when he was 10.
Freeman explained he felt a little tightness in his hamstring as he was running to first base in the third inning. He initially thought it might just be a cramp, however, Freemand continued to feel pain while playing in the field during the fourth and left the game as a precaution.
"I treat every game the same, no matter what game I'm playing but with Opening Day two weeks away I was a little nervous if I got on base again and had to go first to third or score from first," Freeman explained. "I didn't want to put myself in that situation."
Freeman is a six-time all-star and a former National League MVP who won the World Series with the Atlanta Braves in 2021 before signing a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers the following off-season.
He led the majors with 199 hits and 47 doubles while also batting a .325/.407/.511 slash line in his first season with Los Angeles last year.
Freeman assured the Dodgers reporters he's feeling OK and Opening Day isn't in doubt as he's aiming to rejoin the Los Angeles lineup for spring training this weekend.
"It's day to day," he said. "It's how I respond today, with all of this treatment tomorrow, if everything is going good I will hit in the cage tomorrow. Then if everything goes again I will just continue to progress and hopefully be in Cactus League games by Saturday or Sunday."
Although Canada finished the group stage with a 2-2 record following Wednesday's loss and did not advance, it was an improvement over the team's performance in 2017 when they went winless at 0-3.
"It was a wonderful week," Freeman said. "Canada, we put on a good show, a lot better than 2017.
"It's tough leaving those guys because there's so many young guys that were making such great impressions and to not see it all the way through is always hard. There's a little bad taste in my mouth having to leave the WBC but ultimately I had to."
