⚾️ Should We Feel Bad For Freddie Freeman?

It’s not often we feel pity for a guy who’s set to make $162 million. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: After an emotional return to visit Atlanta, Freddie Freeman looks like a guy who misses his old team terribly ... breaking down what a Texas Longhorns win would mean over ‘Bama in September ... and more! These things can vary from person to person, obviously, but it isn’t generally in our instinctive nature to feel sorry for someone who just landed a $162 million contract. The wells of pity don't typically flow for a guy who just moved into a lavish new home in Studio City, one of Los Angeles’ trendier enclaves. The mere reality of someone being a professional athlete is likelier to elicit envy than sympathy, especially a baseball player who just got showered with love for an entire road series, of all things. Yet here we are, midway through an increasingly compelling Major League Baseball season, and I’m moved to reach out and give Freddie Freeman a giant, virtual, journalistic hug. Come here big guy, it’s going to be OK. The past week made a few things very clear. Despite growing up in Orange County, Calif., Freeman would rather be back in Atlanta, still with the Braves, living in the home-away-from-home where he spent 15 years before actually returning home with the Los Angeles Dodgers. To read the full story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - Ahead of conference media days, [RJ Young breaks down what a win over Alabama]( on Sept. 10 would mean for Texas and the Big 12. - No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero is a potential superstar with an NBA-ready body, versatile game and tremendous work ethic. [John Fanta looks at what Banchero could bring to the Magic.]( - Will Christian Pulisic change clubs? Transfer rumors are heating up around Europe, with the window set to open Friday. [Doug McIntyre has the players and clubs worth monitoring.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] New York Yankees at Houston Astros (MLBN, 6:10 p.m. ET) Following a must-see weekend series in the Bronx, the Yankees pay a visit to Houston. San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (FS1, 7:10 p.m. ET) The battle for the NL West heats up with Trea Turner and the Dodgers hosting the Padres. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Deandre Ayton signs with Hornets (+800) One long-shot team that makes sense for Deandre Ayton is the Charlotte Hornets (+800). Could they make a run for one of the best young bigs in the NBA? "Ayton is a good value bet to suit up for Michael Jordan’s Hornets next season," FOX Bet sports trader Tieme Wesselink stated. "The Hornets are in desperate need of a good inside presence to compete with the East's top teams, and Ayton’s age also meshes well with their core led by LaMelo Ball." Wesselink brings up a good point: Ayton's offensive deficiencies wouldn’t be as much of a problem with a shot-creator like LaMelo Ball. The big man would have ample opportunity for rim destruction on that end while manning the paint and making outlet passes to Ball on the other. Perhaps a change in scenery is all that is needed for the former top pick to reach his full potential. [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2022 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. Fox.com Business & Legal Affairs - Manager Digital Media P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213-0900