Freddie Freeman’s opening press conference prior to the Dodgers’ matchup with the Atlanta Braves last weekend said a lot. Freeman firing his agency representatives this week said a lot more.

Before he could field questions from the numerous media in attendance and before he could make an opening statement prior to last weekend’s series at Atlanta, Freeman was teary-eyed and required minutes to compose himself.

“I don’t even know if I can get through this,” he said.

This was not your ordinary June news conference. Freeman was returning to the place where it all began. It was the place he called home for 12 years and the likely place he envisioned finishing his career. 

“Okay, I’ll try,” Freeman finally said before fielding the first question.

What I saw was a player overcome with emotion and maybe regretting a life-altering decision he didn’t make.

If that’s not validation Freeman owning some regret for how negotiations went between he and the Braves, how about Tuesday when Freeman fired the agency that represented him? It showed frustration on his part that the scenario of his returning to the Braves did not materialize like he thought. Like the rest of Major League Baseball, there was probably a huge part of Freeman that always thought he would return to the Braves. It finally hit home with him last weekend.

For their credit, Braves fans paid homage to their once face-of-the-franchise. Before Freeman could get settled in the batter’s box for the first time on Friday, he was showered with cheers and respect in a stadium filled with a plethora of Braves’ Freeman jerseys. He was once again emotional on the field, having to compose himself multiple times.

Yes, the Dodgers took two out of three games from the Braves in Freeman’s return to Atlanta and won four out of six in the season matchup, but the story from an emotionally-charged weekend was Freeman and his return to the city that embraced him and one he helped bring a World Series championship home to.

Will that be the end of this story this year? Likely not, especially if these two playoff contenders meet for a third straight year in the postseason. Then we’ll see if Freeman’s addition to the Dodgers was a necessary one for the Dodgers to overcome the world champs.

As for now, all we’re left with are tears, cheers and some regret. Definitely on Freeman’s part and likely with the Braves as well.

Clint Thompson is a special contributor to the Valdosta Daily Times.