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MLB Star Freddie Freeman’s Aunt Is on ‘The Golden Bachelor’: Meet Carol Freeman-Branstine
Carol Freeman-Branstine will be hitting television screens as a cast member on Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor this fall. Meanwhile, you can also catch her famous nephew, Freddie Freeman, on the airwaves as he plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Major League Baseball playoffs.
Freeman was on the Dodgers when they won the World Series in 2024, and his aunt has been by his side for his journey as a professional baseball player. As she prepares to (hopefully) fall in love with Mel Owens on The Golden Bachelor, get to know more about her below.
What does Carol Freeman-Branstine do for a living?
Carol works as a full-time manager for Freddie, who is the Dodgers’ first baseman. She also recently returned to college and is “thriving as a later-in-life student,” according to her ABC bio.
Where is Carol Freeman-Branstine from?
Carol is from Canada, but she now lives in Villa Park, California.
Does Carol Freeman-Branstine have kids?
Yes, Carol is the proud mom of three daughters, according to her Instagram bio. Her youngest daughter is Carson Branstine, a professional tennis player who represents Canada, the birth country of her mother.
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In 2025, Carson made it to the first round of Wimbledon. She also advanced past the preliminary rounds in the French Open and US Open, making it to the second qualifying round and first qualifying round, respectively.
Carol’s daughters, Cassidy and Constance, were also collegiate tennis players at the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Southern California, respectively. Constance now works as a coach. Through Cassidy, Carol has a grandson, Bane.
Who was Carol Freeman-Branstine’s husband?
Carol was previously married to her daughters’ father, Bruce Branstine. She filed for divorce in February 2020, according to online records.
Bruce works for LPL Financial, LLC. He was previously employed by Equity Services Inc. and Grove Point Investments, LLC.
What happened to Freddie Freeman’s son?
Since Carol is Freddie’s family manager, she has a close relationship with his wife, Chelsea, and their three kids. Chelsea and Freddie have three sons. During the professional athlete’s 2024 playoff run, the family was dealing with their youngest son Maximus’ medical issues.
At three years old, Maximus was rushed to the hospital in July 2024 after experiencing severe pain. Chelsea revealed that he developed transient synovitis (irritable hip due to inflammation of the hip joint) from a viral infection. After going into full-body paralysis, Maximus was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
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Guillain-Barré Syndrome is “a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves. It can cause weakness, numbness, or paralysis,” according to Mayo Clinic. Maximus spent eight days in the hospital and spent the next several months relearning how to walk. “A few weeks ago, we were talking about getting Max fitted for leg braces. But he is doing so great that we might be able to bypass them,” Chelsea shared in October 2024. “With the help of lots and lots of PT, Max is getting closer and closer to being his normal rambunctious self.”
In March 2025, she gave another update. “Max had to relearn everything, starting from tummy time when we got home,” she told People. “It was grueling days of physical therapy almost daily. He is still in physical therapy and is on track for a 12-month recovery.” By the end of March, she revealed that Maximus was “80% recovered.”
The Golden Bachelor, Season 2 Premiere, Wednesday, September 24, 8/7c, ABC
