Freddie Freeman said that at one point his temperature spiked to 104.5 degrees, leading him to say a prayer for his survival. Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Several professional athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 have dealt with either mild symptoms or none at all. Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman unfortunately had it much worse.

Having returned to Braves camp after fighting off the virus, Freeman detailed his experience for the first time on Saturday. He said that at one point his temperature spiked to 104.5 degrees, leading him to say a prayer for his survival.

On July 4, Freeman’s wife Chelsea detailed the symptoms, revealing that her husband was dealing with “body aches, headaches, chills, and a fever.” This is the first we’ve heard about just how severe that fever was.

Freeman is 30 years old, in good health, and in excellent physical shape. None of those factors would lead him to be considered at a high risk for serious illness, but that seems to be what happened anyway. If nothing else, it’s a cautionary tale for why safety is paramount right now, both in sports and everywhere else.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Mavericks advance to Western Conference Finals aided by controversial call late
Connor McDavid, Oilers hammer Canucks to force Game 7
Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk epic increases excitement for potential rematch
Seize the Grey wins in muddy Preakness
Even Mike Budenholzer admits the Suns need a point guard
Watch: Juan Soto's first multi-homer game as a Yankee
Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa lead at PGA Championship
Knicks could get major boost for Game 7 showdown with Pacers
Giants All-Star pitcher suffers setback in recovery from injury
Panthers star named winner of 2024 Selke Trophy
WNBA to investigate $100,000 sponsorship deals for Aces players
Tiger Woods blames one big factor for missing the cut at PGA Championship
'Ain't good enough': Draymond Green claims Celtics must 'win it all' or it's a 'failure'
Blue Jays GM wants struggling club to feel 'massive sense of urgency'
Raptors expected to flip former NBA champion during the offseason
MLB insider reveals Mets' massive extension offer that Pete Alonso turned down
Celtics legend provides update after gruesome finger injury
Bulls hire former NBA head coach as top assistant
Chiefs move on from young running back
20-year MLB veteran working out, unsure about playing future