Freddie Freeman has represented his mother’s homeland, Canada, twice in the WBC; the Dodgers’ manager hopes he won’t face boos.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to travel to Canada this weekend, beginning on the 25th to play the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. At the same time, Dodgers’ star first baseman Freddie Freeman’s "return home" story is especially notable — having represented Canada twice in the WBC, he will now confront Toronto fans as a rival. Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts said he would be quite puzzled if Freeman were booed there.

Although born in California, Freeman has deep ties to Canada. To honor his late mother, Rosemary, he represented Canada in the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classic tournaments. However, now wearing the Dodgers uniform visiting the Blue Jays’ home field, he fully understands that Canadian fans’ attitude will be completely different. “I’m not sure the Blue Jays fans will cheer for me like they did during the Classic,” Freeman said with a smile.

Nevertheless, he admitted that returning to the place where his parents grew up still holds special meaning: “Both my parents were raised in Canada — my mother from the Toronto area, and my father from Windsor. Every time I come back here, I feel a little closer to my mom.”

Freeman revealed he feels an indescribable warmth toward Toronto: “Every time I’m here, I receive envelopes in the locker room from relatives containing old family photos, and even some old footage found by distant relatives in a garage. It moves me deeply and makes me feel like I’m truly home.”

Though Freeman’s performance representing Canada in the WBC was modest, with only 4 hits in 21 at-bats, he still hopes to wear the maple leaf again in the 2026 Classic. “To me, Canada is not only my mother’s homeland but also a part of who I am,” he said.

At 36, Freeman’s playoff batting stats this year are below his career averages, with a .231/.333/.410 slash line and one home run, which is somewhat disappointing. Yet Dodgers’ manager Roberts remains confident: “He’s not injured, which is good news. He’s just faced some very good pitchers lately.”

Now Freeman stands on Toronto’s field as an opponent and may even face boos from the home crowd. Dodgers’ manager Roberts commented, “If he does get booed, I’d be a bit confused why... He’s an excellent player and an even better person.”