LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — A day after Freddie Freeman discussed the ease-into-things plan for his spring training due to a wrist injury slow to heal, the Braves first baseman took batting practice Wednesday for the first time in more than four months.
In covered batting cages beyond left field at Champion Stadium, Freeman took a round of batting practice with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer doing the pitching. It was first time Freeman faced thrown pitches in more than four months and his first time in two weeks that he’d hit any baseballs whatsoever.
He looked a little rusty but swung fairly hard and didn’t appear to have any trouble with the wrist. He took some good-natured ribbing about being late with his swing.
“Give me a couple of weeks,” Freeman said to Seitzer, smiling as he left the batting cage after the round.
Freeman missed 44 games last season and had two stints on the disabled list. His injured right wrist prevented him from swinging a bat until Dec. 31. Before Wednesday he’d only hit balls off a tee or balls flipped underhanded.
