{"id":1024225,"date":"2026-08-26T00:49:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T00:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1024225\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T00:49:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T00:49:18","slug":"how-two-decades-of-friendship-shaped-freddie-freeman-and-jason-heyward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1024225\/","title":{"rendered":"How two decades of friendship shaped Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jason Heyward<\/a> didn\u2019t give Freddie Freeman<\/a> the heads up that he\u2019d secured a job<\/a> in the Dodgers\u2019<\/a> front office. He hadn\u2019t told any of his former Dodger teammates. But Freeman, who\u2019s known Heyward for two decades, now says he\u2019d heard rumblings. He was just going to let his longtime friend break the news himself.<\/p>\n

On May 13, midway through a home series against the Giants, Freeman walked into the food room at Dodger Stadium, and, to his surprise and confusion, there was Heyward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d a slack-jawed Freeman asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m working,\u201d Heyward said.<\/p>\n

No text. No call.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe waited to tell me in person,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n

Heyward technically started his job as a special assistant at the beginning of May, but he was on site for the first time a couple of weeks later. That game against the Giants, with Heyward looking on as a Dodgers special assistant for the first time, Freeman stole a base \u2014 a rarity in recent years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to ask him, what was my grade?\u201d Freeman said. \u201cWhat do you give me, a 70 on the 20-80 (scouting) scale?\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman chuckled. Though he has long been an adept baserunner, it\u2019s never been because of his speed \u2014 not even in high school, when teams were scouting him for the 2007 MLB draft.<\/p>\n

\"Dodgers <\/p>\n

Jason Heyward, who joined the Dodgers as a special assistant earlier this season, stands on the field before a game against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium last month.<\/p>\n

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when Freeman and Heyward first met, the summer before their senior year. They had no way of knowing that they\u2019d go on to experience baseball and life milestones together for the next two decades and counting.<\/p>\n

They were both drafted by the Braves, Heyward in the first round (No. 14 overall), and Freeman in the second (No.78). They became roommates and teammates, debuting in the same year.<\/p>\n

Over the course of two long and decorated MLB careers \u2014 which includes Heyward\u2019s five Gold Gloves, Freeman\u2019s 10 All-Star selections, and four World Series rings between the two of them \u2014 their paths diverged and reconnected multiple times.<\/p>\n

In this most recent chapter, Heyward has ventured into the front office, Freeman is adding to his Hall of Fame candidacy, and they\u2019re once again on the same team.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see us now, it\u2019s crazy,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cIt really is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strangers<\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare for friends of 20 years to be able to pick out the details of their first encounter. Over the decades, fond memories start to jumble and fade.<\/p>\n

But not for Freeman and Heyward.<\/p>\n

Without hesitation they\u2019ll bring up August 2006, when they were both 16 and played on opposing teams in the Aflac All-American Classic, held that year in San Diego. They really got to know each other during the down time that week, hanging out in the communal game room in the hotel.<\/p>\n

When they met, Freeman was playing Pop-A-Shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s where he was most of the time,\u201d Heyward said.<\/p>\n

The group could gravitate to another part of the room to \u201ctrade cards, sign autographs, talk a little shop,\u201d and Freeman would somehow end up back at the Pop-A-Shot.<\/p>\n

That, however, didn\u2019t stop Freeman and Heyward from hitting it off.<\/p>\n

On the surface, they were an opposites-attract kind of duo, in pretty much every category but height \u2014 listed as 6-foot-4 and 6-5 during that showcase. Heyward grew up in the Atlanta metropolitan area, playing on the East team, and Freeman was an Orange County native, representing the West.<\/p>\n

Their priorities and aspirations pulled them together.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou kind of look around and see all the other guys there and see what they\u2019re doing, how they talk, how they act,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cAnd then you run into Jason, and then, I\u2019m like, \u2018That\u2019s who I want to hang out with.\u2019 He had everything figured out at such a young age.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heyward was the more hyped prospect, and the star of the East in that game, with four stolen bases, a pair of hits and two RBIs.<\/p>\n

The second time Heyward reached first base, Freeman said to him, \u201cYou\u2019re not going to steal again.\u201d Heyward\u2019s response: \u201cI\u2019m going again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked down, he was kicking dirt on my shoes, all that,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cSo, same guy who he is today on first base, that\u2019s who he\u2019s always been.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even in practice, Freeman\u2019s competitiveness stood out to his new friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne hundred percent competitive, but it was fun for him to be competitive,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cNot competitive in like, \u2018Get off me,\u2019 [stuff] like that. He welcomed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though they became fast friends, and ran into each other on the showcase circuit throughout their senior year, who knows what would have happened if the 2007 draft had played out differently?<\/p>\n

\"Phoenix, <\/p>\n

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman takes his shoes off after batting practice during spring training at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix in February.<\/p>\n

(Eric Thayer \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Draftees<\/p>\n

Freeman was scheduled to take a final exam the day he was drafted.<\/p>\n

That year, the draft made its television debut. The first round \u2014 including the Braves selecting hometown kid Jason Heyward \u2014 was broadcast on ESPN2. Heyward\u2019s selection wasn\u2019t a surprise \u2014 \u201cWe know the Braves have a history of drafting young players from the area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But Freeman would have to be in front of a computer to track the subsequent rounds. He finagled permission to go home until he was selected, and then return to school.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were going along, and I had some other teams calling for me as a pitcher,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cAnd I was like, \u2018I don\u2019t want to pitch, let me hit first.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually the Braves called, with their second pick of the second round approaching. Freeman, wasting no time, kicked off the conversation with: \u201cI don\u2019t want to pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they\u2019re like, \u2018Good, because we don\u2019t want you to,\u2019\u201d Freeman recalled.<\/p>\n

Finally. The excitement began to set in.<\/p>\n

Even after the Braves drafted Freeman, it wasn\u2019t a done deal on his end.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d committed to Cal State Fullerton, the alma mater of his father, Fred Freeman. And Freddie had his sights set on becoming a CPA and taking over his dad\u2019s business.<\/p>\n

A couple days after the draft, at 2 or 3 a.m., Freddie knocked on Fred\u2019s bedroom door with a decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cDad, I don\u2019t want to go to college,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to play baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n

They talked for a while. And though Fred had wanted his son to pursue an education, he softened his stance, supporting Freddie\u2019s dream. They agreed, Freddie remembers, that if he didn\u2019t make it to the big leagues in four years, he\u2019d quit to follow the original plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack then, I was like, \u2018Oh, yeah, that\u2019s fine,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cAnd now you think about it \u2014 that was crazy to think, right? Four or five years in the minor leagues, that\u2019s what the norm is. \u2026 We didn\u2019t know any better.\u201d<\/p>\n

That set Freeman and Heyward on course to reunite, this time as teammates.<\/p>\n

Heyward, poised to sign for above slot value, had to wait until mid-August to sign his contract ($1.7-million bonus). So, when he finally joined the Gulf Coast League, for all of eight games before finishing the season with rookie-ball Danville, he remembers Freeman greeting him with a disgruntled, \u201cHey, man, I\u2019ve been waiting on you. I\u2019ve been here, it\u2019s been hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy bad,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t control it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman broke into laughter.<\/p>\n

After the instructional league that fall, Freeman and Heyward decided to room together in spring training. And though the accommodations changed throughout the years, they\u2019d remain roommates through 2010, their debut season in the majors.<\/p>\n

Roommates \"Outfielder <\/p>\n

Outfielder Jason Heyward, left, and infielder Freddie Freeman celebrate before the start of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays in March 2010.<\/p>\n

(Al Messerschmidt \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no better way to quickly learn a person\u2019s idiosyncrasies than living with them.<\/p>\n

In terms of morning routines, Heyward and Freeman were on far ends of the spectrum. If Heyward was going to start getting ready at 12:30, Freeman was waiting until 12:48 \u2014 and it was always something that specific too. Extremely structured to this day, if something throws off Freeman\u2019s schedule, his \u201crobot mind,\u201d as he puts it, malfunctions.<\/p>\n

While Heyward would marvel at how close Freeman was willing to cut it, Freeman would give Heyward grief for how long he\u2019d take to get ready.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the minor leagues, we had to shave, had to keep it low,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve been, at that time, shaving since I was 15. So sometimes I had to shave twice a day, otherwise it was just freaking uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, yeah, if I may take a long time to get ready, \u2018You\u2019re rocking with what you\u2019re rocking with; you can just get out of bed, literally wet your hair, and then go.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

On the road, Freeman still jokes, Heyward\u2019s BlackBerry phone came into play. The team would put the players up in hotel rooms with two beds, subjecting Freeman to the incessant clicking of Heyward texting.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnybody can nitpick something, but if I complain about a BlackBerry texting, that\u2019s not really anything,\u201d Freeman said. \u201c\u2018Sorry, I had friends,\u2019 he would say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman and Heyward were inseparable. They\u2019d hit back-to-back in the lineup, and then get on the bus for a 13-hour ride and sit right next to each other.<\/p>\n

They rose quickly through the farm system, one after another, sharing the highs and lows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was some irony in the fact of how he was treated in the South, versus how I\u2019m treated in the South, even though I\u2019m from there,\u201d said Heyward, who is Black. \u201cAnd that goes back to even in the minor leagues.\u201d<\/p>\n

A road trip to Savannah, Ga., in 2008 immediately came to mind for Freeman, who is white. From first base Freeman could hear everything the crowd said to Heyward in right field \u2014 including the racial slur a fan yelled in the middle of a game.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the first time I ever heard the N-word,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cIt was crazy to me. And I was almost in tears. I wanted to run into the stands.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, he started walking over there, before Heyward stopped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, obviously, that\u2019s been my whole life, especially growing up where I grew up,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cBut it\u2019s just a good perspective on him not hearing it before. And I think that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, yeah, if anybody would have tried him on anything, I\u2019m fighting them too. \u2026 What\u2019s understood didn\u2019t have to be explained there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact that Heyward could remain so calm was eye-opening for Freeman. The pair came away from that incident, and more subtle slights (like having to wait 20 minutes to be seated in a mostly empty restaurant), with a better understanding of each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor an 18-year-old to have that be a normal thing is even more saddening,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cTo this day, it\u2019s hard to even talk about. That those kids, or young adults [in the stands] grew up thinking that was an OK thing to say, it\u2019s just baffling to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teammates<\/p>\n

Heyward\u2019s highly anticipated MLB debut came on April 5, 2010, opening day at Turner Field. And in his first major league at-bat, he smoked a three-run home run to right field.<\/p>\n

Freeman, on the other hand, started the season in triple A. But that didn\u2019t split up the roommates. Freeman made the 35-minute drive northeast to Gwinnett, and Heyward headed south for 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

By late August, it was obvious Freeman would be among the Braves\u2019 call-ups when rosters expanded on Sept. 1. <\/p>\n

Sure enough, Heyward and Freeman headed south that day \u2014 still driving separately because of their differing morning routines.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

Freddie Freeman, left, Jason Heyward, center, and Brian McCann chat during a workout at spring training in Kissimmee, Fla., in 2011.<\/p>\n

(Phelan M. Ebenhack \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked into Turner Field, and saw my name in the lineup, hitting sixth, and I almost threw up,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n

Seeing familiar faces helped. Freeman knew many of the coaches and his new teammates from major league spring training the past two years. And, of course, there was Heyward.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a special day,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI didn\u2019t get any hits, but I didn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n

\u201cJason got all the hits for us, he went four for four. He was so happy I was there. He took all my hits.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Freeman went through his big-league firsts, he appreciated having Heyward, who\u2019d already checked them off for himself, by his side.<\/p>\n

Freeman looks back fondly on their plane rides. He and Heyward would sit together, eating Chick-fil-A.<\/p>\n

Raising the level of decadence, the next year, Freeman had his first \u201cshow dinner\u201d with Heyward and veterans such as Eric Hinske and Chipper Jones at a steakhouse in Seattle called El Gaucho.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like, this is the coolest thing ever,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose were both of our \u2018college years,\u2019\u201d Heyward said. \u201cSo seeing the real world a little bit, spending time on flights, clubhouse, dinners, enjoying teammates, becoming young adults.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Atlanta <\/p>\n

Jason Heyward, right, high-fives teammate Freddie Freeman after scoring off a single by Justin Upton in the first inning of a June 2013 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n

(David Goldman \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n

They were also playing well. Heyward and Freeman finished No. 2 in NL rookie of the year voting in consecutive years. And they started filling up their own individual trophy cases, while the Braves made it to the postseason three times in five years.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has fun playing baseball,\u201d Freeman said, \u201cbut to experience the big leagues with your best friend, I don\u2019t know if you can get much better than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rivals<\/p>\n

As soon as the Braves were eliminated from the 2014 postseason chase, the team fired general manager Frank Wren. Plunging into a rebuild, new president of baseball operations John Hart\u2019s first big move was to trade Heyward to the Cardinals for pitching.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the first time I saw the business side of baseball,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cSad day. But it opened my eyes to, this isn\u2019t just fun all the time. The fun has to end at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman and Heyward kept in touch and celebrated each other\u2019s successes. But it wasn\u2019t the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was like, \u2018All right, this is becoming more of a job,\u201d Heyward said.<\/p>\n

Heyward leveraged that platform season in St. Louis into an eight-year free agent contract with the Cubs worth $184 million, setting a franchise record.<\/p>\n

The Braves extended Freeman. Then when he finally hit free agency after the 2021 season, he became the first infielder to sign a $100-plus million deal with the Dodgers, signing a contract for six years and $162 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For eight years, Heyward and Freeman played for opposing NL teams. Then, an unexpected turn of events set the ball rolling for a reunion.<\/p>\n

In early August 2022, when Heyward had already been on the injured list for over a month with what the Cubs called right knee inflammation, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer announced that the team intended to release the veteran right fielder from the final year of his contract after the season.<\/p>\n

Freeman saw an opportunity. And for the rest of the year, he didn\u2019t let Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman<\/a> or general manager Brandon Gomes<\/a> walk by without hearing his pitch for Heyward.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll shoot you straight,\u201d Freeman told them. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going to get from the baseball player Jason Heyward, but I know what you\u2019re going to get from the person Jason Heyward, and what he would mean inside of a clubhouse, and what he can do to young guys and help them. There\u2019s no one better to be in this clubhouse than how you are envisioning clubhouse culture and chemistry than to bring this guy in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friedman doesn\u2019t have an exact count on the number of times Freeman mentioned Heyward to him in those months, \u201cbut it was definitely a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friedman and Gomes were intrigued enough to have their group dig into the evolution of Heyward\u2019s swing. But they still had questions, like how open was he going to be to diving into adjustments with their staff?<\/p>\n

Soon after he was officially released, the Dodgers set up a Zoom.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was all-in,\u201d Friedman said, \u201cin terms of open-mindedness, desire to change some of the recent narrative, and he was excited about the prospect of working with our guys and doing what he could to help us win games, both on and off the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heyward said he heard from the Dodgers three times before he heard from any other team in free agency.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was how persistent they were,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Jason <\/p>\n

Jason Heyward, left, celebrates a run with Freddie Freeman against the Texas Rangers in June 2024.<\/p>\n

(Ronald Martinez \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Heyward signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers<\/a> in early December. He spent time in Southern California over the offseason to get a head start on overhauling his swing. And he met Freeman in Newport Beach, to hang out, hit and work out together.<\/p>\n

Heyward\u2019s efforts paid off. He made the team out of spring training. And he and Freeman were officially teammates again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so fun,\u201d Heyward said.<\/p>\n

Their reunion on the field was brief \u2014 the Dodgers re-signed Heyward for the 2024 season and then, his first half derailed by injuries, released him in August \u2014 but it was still sweet.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou go from sitting together on a bus coming from Rome, Georgia, going to Wilmington, Delaware \u2014 and like now you\u2019re on a first-class flight with the L.A. Dodgers, and traveling from West Coast to East Coast, wearing the jumpsuits, all that stuff,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cThat was a very cool experience coming from being 16-years-old, Aflac All-Americans, to now sharing a World Series ring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-workers<\/p>\n

Heyward finished 2024 with the Astros<\/a> and spent the next season with the Padres. He trained this past offseason to be ready for spring training if a team gave him an offer. But in the final weeks, he also started laying groundwork for a post-playing career in case the phone never rang.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year I said, \u2018If we get a Super Bowl weekend, that\u2019s it, and I\u2019m content,\u2019\u201d Heyward said. \u201cNot complacent; I\u2019m content. I let it run its course, and now I have clarity to go do whatever else it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he reached out to the Cubs first about a non-playing role, and had cursory conversations with the White Sox. He exchanged texts with Friedman, reviving conversations they\u2019d had in his stint with the Dodgers. In many ways, it came down to timing.<\/p>\n

Heyward had already been planning on meeting up in spring training with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts<\/a>, a former player, to pick his brain about the transition.<\/p>\n

They went to dinner, with both their wives, and stayed for six hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cI basically was just honest with him, in telling him that, No. 1, I think it\u2019s great that he wants to stay in the game,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cBut No. 2 is that when you\u2019re a player, you look at certain things in a certain lens, but for him to be good at this job in the front office, he\u2019s got to be really open-minded to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roberts came away from the conversation excited by how earnestly Heyward embraced that message. And he mentioned to Gomes: \u201cSomeone with his character that has his desire to work could be a huge asset for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two and a half weeks later, Heyward stopped by Dodgers camp at Camelback Ranch to catch up with old friends and teammates.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was here for two years, and it felt like I was here for 10,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s family included \u2014 my family, my kids, my wife \u2026 So, what I thought was going to be natural, this was even more organic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friends \"Los <\/p>\n

Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward, right, congratulates Freddie Freeman after bringing him home on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in a June 2024 game.<\/p>\n

(Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Life changes dramatically between the ages of 16 and 36.<\/p>\n

\u201cSingle guys trying to make it, to married with many kids,\u201d said Freeman, who turns 37 next month. \u201cAnd we\u2019re still as close as ever, which is really, really special for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, he added: \u201cThis is going to be friends forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their wives, Chelsea Freeman and Vedrana Heyward, are close too. The Freeman\u2019s middle children are just a little over a year older than the Heywards\u2019 eldest. And the families\u2019 newest additions were both born months apart.<\/p>\n

Freeman and Heyward are already coordinating family schedules and travel \u2014 the Heywards are based in Chicago \u2014 to all get together in California this offseason.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re no longer those high schoolers bonding between rounds of Pop-A-Shot. In June, Freeman surpassed 2,500 career MLB hits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way Free\u2019s done it, winning is all over it,\u201d Heyward said. \u201cI think that\u2019s one of those unique abilities, to this guy is playing the game first, winning first, and then he\u2019s getting a result, then he\u2019s having the big at-bat, doing it obviously in the postseason. So I\u2019m just happy to see him get the recognition that he\u2019s earned the time he put into it. I\u2019m happy to see his stubbornness pay off.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not easy to do. It\u2019s much easier said than done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heyward, moving on from a 16-year major-league playing career, would love to be a general manager one day. But he\u2019s keeping an open mind. He took Roberts\u2019 advice to heart and is using his first year as a special assistant to learn and explore the possibilities.<\/p>\n

Heyward has been around the major-league team for a handful of series in Los Angeles and Chicago (even giving Freeman advance notice before the White Sox series to make up for his May drop-in). <\/p>\n

Trying his hand at player evaluation, he sat in the stands during the Southeastern Conference tournament. And as he pops in on affiliates, the Dodgers also see the time he spends with their outfield prospects \u2014 the biggest strength of their farm system \u2014 as invaluable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever he wants to be in the front office, he\u2019s going to be it, because that\u2019s just who he is,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cBecause he is a special man, he works hard, he cares, he wants to be the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman has already seen Heyward manifest his dreams once \u2014 and vice versa.<\/p>\n

Being drafted, making it to the majors, winning championships, those were just dreams 20 years ago this month, when they both wandered into the communal activities room between All-American Classic obligations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat week in San Diego,\u201d Freeman said, \u201cobviously we\u2019ll never forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jason Heyward didn\u2019t give Freddie Freeman the heads up that he\u2019d secured a job in the Dodgers\u2019 front…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1024226,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[41],"tags":[409811,22900,71316,409809,6803,409810,6595,54304,54957,1910,409808,4619,1266,41182,17520,62,3007,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-1024225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-all-star-selection","tag-braves","tag-decade","tag-down-time","tag-first-time","tag-fred-freeman","tag-freddie-freeman","tag-freeman","tag-front-office","tag-game","tag-heyward","tag-jason-heyward","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-draft","tag-recent-year","tag-sports","tag-team","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1024225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1024225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1024225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1024226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1024225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1024225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1024225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}