Fair or not, it didn’t have to be this way. The Atlanta Braves won a World Series with Freddie Freeman in 2021, which is why he had experience in the fall classic prior to the Dodgers series against the New York Yankees, which began on Friday night.

Freeman, of course, eventually left Atlanta thanks to some sketchy negotiations between his then-agent and Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Freeman has spoken fondly of his time in Atlanta since then, and eventually was able to move on to Los Angeles, where he is now a mainstay in the Dodgers clubhouse.

Baseball is a business, first and foremost. Atlanta’s lineup was arguably better without Freeman in 2023, though they took a step back this season. Anthopoulos turned around rather quickly and acquired Matt Olson to man first base upon losing Freeman. Olson is capable, and for the most part Atlanta hasn’t missed a beat.

However, it’s always difficult to watch a former player partake in such a historic series – and come through when it matters most.

Freeman should’ve and could’ve been a Brave for life, depending on how you look at it. There’s a reason Casey Close is no longer Freeman’s agent, even if the full details of said relationship ending haven’t been fully disclosed.

Freddie Freeman has his Dodgers moment, and Braves fans are struggling

As much as Freeman valued his time with the Braves, he is also a California kid, and the Dodgers are among the best franchises in the sport.

On Friday, he cemented his status as a Dodgers legend, rather than merely a former Braves star and future Hall of Famer. Freeman hit a game-winning grand slam as the Dodgers won Game 1 over the Yankees.

While Braves fans weren’t rooting against Freeman, watching him come up large in this moment cannot have been easy. Social media would confirm just that.

It’s been a few years, but Friday night served as yet another ripping-off-the-bandaid moment for Braves fans as it pertains to Freeman. When Freddie became a free agent in the 2021-22 offseason, neither he nor Atlanta intended for him to sign elsewhere.

Misommunications went a long way in flipping the script. The very next season, when Freeman returned to Truist Park to play the Braves for the first time, his heart was seemingly still in Atlanta.

In some ways, it always will be. Braves fans feel that as well.