ATLANTA — Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow after a nagging injury that limited him late in the season and into playoffs.
The team announced Friday that Freeman underwent the procedure in New York. Dr. David Altchek cleaned out the entire right elbow joint, removing three fragmented loose bodies and cleaning up numerous bone spur formations that had developed in the slugger's elbow.
Freeman is expected to be recovered in time for the start of spring training in February.
This past season, Freeman hit .295 with a career-high 38 home runs and 121 RBI in 158 games, but his production tailed off in September as he dealt with the sore elbow. Over his final 21 regular-season games, he batted just .235 (16 of 68) with no homers and seven RBIs.
In the playoffs, Freeman hit .200 (4 of 20) and drove in his only run with a Game 1 homer. The St. Louis Cardinals won the series in five games, beating the Braves 13-1 in the decisive contest after Freeman made a key error in a record 10-run first inning.