LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 16: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during batting practice prior to the start of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on April 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Freddie Freeman landed with the Dodgers instead of staying with the Braves in free agency and he had a gift for his former team in his first at-bat.
Monday night marked a bittersweet moment for Atlanta Braves fans. On one hand, they were going to get to see Freddie Freeman reunite with his former teammates still just several months after they won a World Series together. Of course, the other hand is that Freeman is now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers facing Atlanta for the first time since his free agency departure.
It was good feelings all around in the pregame as Freeman hugged and laughed with his friends and former teammates. After the first pitch, though, Braves fans weren’t too fond of Freddie and what he was doing.
Namely, they were none too pleased that Freeman’s first at-bat against the Braves since joining the Dodgers resulted in a solo home run over the left-centerfield fence of Huascar Ynoa to give LA an early 1-0 lead in the game.
Freddie Freeman homers off Braves in first at-bat against former team
Just to twist the knife a little more in the back of Atlanta fans, this was also Freddie Freeman’s first home run of the season, meaning his first ever as a Dodger.
Braves fans have endured a tough time trying to come to terms with the departure of Freeman. He had established himself as a franchise icon with Atlanta, cementing that further by helping bring the club its first World Series since 1995 last year. So to see him leave in free agency was painful for many.
Now, seeing Freeman homer off of Ynoa in a Dodgers uniform only makes that feeling even worse.