NASCAR driver and Dawsonville native Chase Elliott is among the Braves’ biggest celebrity fans. He spoke for the fan base Tuesday, expressing his disappointment that first baseman Freddie Freeman wouldn’t return.
The Braves bowed out of the Freeman sweepstakes Monday when they traded for A’s slugger Matt Olson. Over the past year, the Braves and Freeman publicly expressed a desire to keep the former MVP with the franchise. But they were unable to reach an agreement before or during free agency, leading to the Braves’ blockbuster move for Olson.
“I knew that (Freeman question) was coming,” said Elliott, who was speaking with reporters ahead of the QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. “Man, I tried hard (to get the sides to reach an agreement). Apparently I didn’t do a good enough job. I’ve been so sad reading some of the news yesterday. But look, I get it. Moneyball is in effect, right? It’s one of those things where A) there’s nothing I can do about it, and B) I have to imagine the folks who run the Atlanta Braves are a lot more knowledgeable about the game than I am. So we’ll leave it with them and hope for the best.”
The Braves already signed Olson, an Atlanta native, to an eight-year extension, securing their new first baseman for the long haul. Freeman, meanwhile, is still fielding offers from interested parties. His hometown Dodgers are considered the favorites, but the Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Rays and Padres have also been connected with Freeman.
A beloved leader and player, Freeman was a five-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner with the Braves. He won the MVP in 2020, becoming the fourth player in Atlanta Braves history to do so. In the last of Freeman’s 12 seasons with the Braves, he hit .300 with 31 homers, 83 RBIs and a league-leading 120 runs. Most importantly, he won his long-awaited World Series championship, homering in his last at-bat and catching the final out to clinch the title.
“I hate to see Freddie go,” Elliott said. “Such a good dude and obviously a fantastic baseball player. You hate to see such a good individual, such a good guy that’s been a great leader of the organization, leave. But you know, I guess it happened for a reason and I wish him the very best wherever he ends up.”
Elliott, who finished 11th at the Ruoff Mortgage 500 in Phoenix last weekend, will try for his first win of the season Sunday in the QuikTrip 500. The weekend will debut the new-look Atlanta Motor Speedway track, which was repaved and reprofiled in 2021.
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