Freddie Freeman is returning to his family roots when the Los Angeles Dodgers open defense of their World Series championship against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Friday.

The All-Star first baseman's parents are from the province of Ontario; father Fred is from Windsor and late mother Rosemary was from Peterborough, about 85 miles northeast of Toronto.

“Every time I go back there,” Freeman said, “I feel a little bit closer to my mom.”

Freeman was born in the Orange County city of Fountain Valley after his family relocated to California because of his father's work.

He was 10 when his 47-year-old mother died of melanoma — the most dangerous type of skin cancer because of its ability to spread to organs — in 2000. Freeman wears long sleeves under his jersey during games as a silent tr

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