This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
DENVER – The children and community members that Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland and his wife, Ashley, help flash winning smiles.
“That’s the great thing about when you do events – the people don’t care what your record is or how you’ve been playing,” Freeland said. “They’re just excited to see you there, see you helping out, spending time talking, getting to know kids, parents, athletes. It’s really cool, seeing a different side of things.”
The difficult on-field season for Freeland and the Rockies hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for serving off the field in his hometown of Denver. Freeland has been named the Rockies’ nominee for the annual Roberto Clemente Award for the fourth straight year.
The award is for the MLB player who represents the game through “extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.” Each team has a nominee, and fans may vote on the overall winner.
Freeland has been lauded for his work raising money and awareness for Special Olympics Colorado – a foundation he has been dedicated to since 2018.
The raffle for Freeland’s practice glove has already begun. Freeland said he and his wife are involved in as many events as they can personally attend. Ashley Freeland was present at the annual Fantasy Camp for Kids at Jason Jennings Adaptive Field in Lakewood, Colo.
Freeland said it’s a way of giving back to his hometown.
“It’s important to me, because I play for my hometown team,” Freeland said. “I’m in the community that I grew up in, the community that I loved as a child and that I continue to love to this day. It’s something my wife is very much on board with, as well.
“It’s something that Ian Desmond [who won the Rockies’ nomination for three straight years before Freeland’s run] pressed upon me, to use my platform as a professional athlete to get back out in my community.”