The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman shares three kids with his wife, Chelsea Freeman

By Emily Blackwood  Published on October 25, 2024 08:00PM EDT

Freddie Freeman with wife Chelsea and their three sons Charlie, Brandon and Maximus. Photo:

Chelsea Freeman/ Instagram

Freddie Freeman is the proud father of three boys: Fredrick Charles II, Brandon John and Maximus Turner.

A big family is something his wife, Chelsea Freeman, says the Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman has always wanted — and now he has one to cheer him on during the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees.

“As long as I’ve known him, he said that since he was a little boy, he always knew he wanted to be a dad,” she told ESPN in 2021. “As important as being a baseball player to him is, I think being a dad is even more important.”

The couple tied the knot in 2014 and gave birth to their first child, Frederick Charles II (who goes by Charlie) in 2016. After struggling to get pregnant again, Chelsea and Freddie decided to expand their family through surrogacy. Days before the embryo transfer, Chelsea found out she was pregnant, and he told ESPN they were happily surprised to go “from one to three.”

They welcomed son Brandon John in 2020 and son Maximus Turner two months later in 2021. Chelsea and Freddie lovingly refer to their youngest boys as “twins with a twist.”

So, who are Freddie Freeman’s kids? Here’s everything to know about Charlie, Brandon and Maximus.

 

Frederick Charles Freeman II, 8

Freddie Freeman and wife Chelsea with their son Charlie at a Harlem Globetrotters basketball game.

Chelsea Freeman/ Instagram

Frederick Charles Freeman II was born on Sept. 15, 2016, three days after his dad’s birthday. Though he also shares a name with Freddie, the eldest Freeman goes by Charlie.

Freddie, who was playing for the Atlanta Braves at the time, got the news that Chelsea was in labor during a game against the Marlins. He told MLB that he sprinted out of the home dugout as quickly as he could.

“Early on in the pregnancy, I got excited, then I got nervous and then I got excited again,” he said. “But once I got that call, a lot of emotions kind of came in.”

Chelsea announced Charlie’s birth on Instagram with a photo of her holding her newborn while Freddie smiled at the camera in a hospital gown and hairnet. In the caption, she wrote that her labor lasted over 24 hours and ended in an emergency cesarean section “after exhausting every other option.”

“Not how I wanted my labor to go, but he is healthy and perfect!!” the new mom wrote. “So smitten by this guy.”

Charlie inherited his dad’s love for baseball and attends a lot of Freddie’s games with his mom. Freddie frequently shares photos of the two of them playing catch on his Instagram, and during a home game in L.A., in March 2024, the then-7-year-old threw the first pitch. He also loves golfing and listening to Bad Bunny — so much so that in March 2024, his parents surprised him with tickets for his first-ever concert.

 

Brandon John Freeman, 3

Freddie Freeman with his sons Charlie and Brandon after winning the MLB National League Championship game.

Chelsea Freeman/ Instagram

Brandon John Freeman was born on Dec. 20, 2020 after Freddie and Chelsea struggled to get pregnant for a few years. She opened up about her experience to ESPN in 2021.

“It was a lot of doctors’ appointments, a lot of procedures, a lot of tests,” Chelsea said. “A lot of them by myself, because it was during the baseball season. It’s all worth it in the end, but going through that … definitely one of the hardest things mentally that you could go through.”

In the spring of 2020, the couple decided to work with a surrogate. Nine days before the embryo transfer, Chelsea learned that she was pregnant, and had Charlie draw a picture of her with a baby in her belly to give to Freddie. When their doctors asked if they wanted to continue with the embryo transfer, they didn’t hesitate to say yes.

Brandon, who is named after Chelsea’s grandfather, was born first and his brother, Maximus, arrived two months later. The couple have kept which child was born via surrogate private.

“Every pregnancy and fertility journey is a little bit different for everyone, and we wanted to respect our surrogate’s privacy, as well,” Freddie told ESPN. “We tried for a couple of years, and it didn’t happen. We were talking with doctors, and they suggested surrogacy. We jumped at that because we wanted to be blessed with more.”

Like his brother, Brandon attends a lot of Freddie’s games with his mom and siblings and even made a red carpet appearance at the 2024 All-Star Red Carpet Show. In 2024, Chelsea wished him a happy belated birthday on Instagram.

“Brandon, you are the sweetest soul,” she wrote. “You have so much joy in you. You give the best bear hugs. You LOVE everyone. You are the best surprise we ever got.”

 

Maximus Turner Freeman, 3

Freddie Freeman holding his son Maximus.

Chelsea Freeman/ Instagram

Maximus Turner Freeman was born on Feb. 14, 2021. His middle name is a homage to the Atlanta Braves’ former field where Freddie played for the majority of his career. Chelsea told ESPN that Maximus — who she described on Instagram as cheeky, meticulous and determined — fulfilled her dream of having three kids by the time she turned 30.

“When my 29th birthday came around and I still wasn’t pregnant, I never thought it would be possible,” she said. “I think our story is definitely a story that God always has a bigger plan.”

On July 24, 2024, Maximus was rushed to the emergency room after experiencing severe pain that left him unable to “sit, stand or walk.” Chelsea shared on her Instagram Stories that the toddler had developed transient synovitis from a viral infection. Also known as irritable hip, the condition is due to inflammation of the hip joint lining.

The following day, he went into full-body paralysis and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare neurological condition that happens when the immune system attacks the nerves. According to the Mayo Clinic, the cause is unknown.

Chelsea shared on Instagram that Maximus spent eight days in the hospital before being able to come home. To show support, the L.A. Dodgers wore matching T-shirts that read “#MaxStrong” during an August 2024 home game against the Philadelphia Phillies. On Oct. 10, 2024, the mom of three shared an update on her son’s recovery.

“Max’s neurologist is VERY VERY VERY happy with how he is progressing,” she wrote in a caption alongside a photo of her and Max at the doctor’s office. “Today was the first time Dr. Crawford got to see Max walk. We are still waiting for his reflexes to come back, but that usually takes the longest. A few weeks ago, we were talking about getting Max fitted for leg braces. But he is doing so great that we might be able to bypass them.”

She continued, “With the help of lots and lots of PT, Max is getting closer and closer to being his normal rambunctious self. Again, thank you all so much for the prayers and well wishes for our family.”