Freddie Freeman remembers late former manager Bobby Cox
May 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a solo home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images While the Atlanta Braves split the series against the Dodgers on Saturday with a 7-2 victory, the team and fanbase were saddened with the news that their former longtime manager, Bobby Cox, passed away at the age of 84. Cox had managed the Atlanta Braves for parts of 25 years between 1978-2010, earning five National League pennants throughout the 1990’s and helping Atlanta win the World Series in 1995.
At the tail end of his Hall of Fame managerial career, a 21-year-old Freddie Freeman was under his tutelage for 20 games, and the impact Cox had on Freeman was immense. Freeman reacted to the news of Cox’s passing as he spoke about him candidly with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA prior to the start of Saturday’s game. The Dodgers held a moment of silence for both Cox and Ted Turner, the late media mogul responsible for the creation of the 24-hour news cycle.
“I’ve been thinking all morning about memories and interactions with him, and a lot of it is baseball, but my favorite memory of Bobby is 2017 spring training… Most of my interactions at that time with Bobby had been all baseball, and to see Hall of Famer Bobby Cox— the joy on his face once he saw my six-month-old son— that’s stuff I’ll never forget… He lived a great life; everyone loved him in baseball, Braves country loves him… I think a lot of people have heavy hearts, but they’re also having a good time thinking about all the wonderful memories and impacts that Bobby had on their lives today… we’re going to miss him immensely. ” Dave Roberts briefly reflected on Cox’s legacy during his pregame presser . “He was a Hall of Famer.
He did it the right way. He loved his players, loved this game, loved the way he wore spikes as a manager— that’s pretty cool. He was a guy that wore his uniform.
Guys like Tommy [Lasorda], Bobby, I look to, and we lost a great one. We lost a legend. ” Links After missing the Dodgers’ first 38 games of the season, Blake Snell made his 2026 debut, and it lasted all of three innings after tossing 77 pitches and allowing five runs to score.