Clayton Kershaw was right about Freddie Freeman in Atlanta

Clayton Kershaw was absolutely right with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman when it came to the Atlanta Braves.

Eventually Freddie Freeman will be satisfied with that Los Angeles Dodgersbut for now, his high-profile split from the Atlanta Braves is all there is to talk about these days.

Freeman and the Dodgers picked up just two out of three from the Braves on their lonely trip to Atlanta this season. He was an emotional mess the entire time. While Freeman received his World Series ring from former skipper Brian Snitker in front of 40,000 of his former friends in 2021, it hit him like a ton of bricks that he put this all behind to don the Dodger Blue. Yes, that really happened.

Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw commented on how surreal Friday night really was at Truist Park. Like Freeman, Kershaw was pulled out of high school by the franchise he is most closely associated with. Unlike Freeman, Kershaw didn’t choose to play closer to home as the Dallas native could play for the Texas Rangers. Kershaw made the right move by staying in place.

Here’s what he said Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the events of Friday night.

“It was very cool[to see Freeman’s reception on Friday night],” Kershaw told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Gabe Burns. “He’s obviously made a huge contribution to our team. And I hope we’re not second fiddle. Here, too, it is a very special team. I think whenever he makes himself comfortable here, he will really enjoy it. It was a good night for him (Friday).”

Kershaw’s candid comments about Burns speak volumes as Freeman never really wanted to leave.

Clayton Kershaw was right about Freddie Freeman: he never wanted to leave

What really matters is that Freeman is having so much trouble being where his feet are. You’d think being back in his native Southern California and closer to his family would put a smile on his face. Most days, yes, that would probably be the case. However, he clearly has some unresolved issues about how his departure from Atlanta went. He’s given up on becoming a legend.

Had Kershaw signed with Rangers and returned triumphant to Dodger Stadium, similar emotions would have been felt. However, he would not have left the reigning World Series champion to play for a team that had just beaten them in the NLCS the previous postseason. Imagine getting a World Series ring in the house you built only to walk to the visitor’s dugout in utter awkwardness.

Ultimately, you can never give an award to a Hall of Famer caliber player who only plays for one franchise. It’s still possible for Kershaw, which will only add to his legacy in baseball’s pantheon. Freeman could have been idolized like George Brett, Tony Gwynn, Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Yount and many other greats. He could have been the next chipper but had to be a Dodger.

As the old saying goes, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence…