Freddie Freeman named World Series MVP after incredible stretch of games
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was named the 2024 World Series MVP on Wednesday evening, cementing his place in MLB history in a season that has been anything but easy for the slugger.
It was the inevitable result when all was said and done, after the Dodgers topped their longtime rivals in the New York Yankees in five games, but prior to the series it wasn't even clear if Freeman was going to be on the postseason roster.
Freeman, now 35, suffered an ankle sprain so severe he was sidelined for the team's final road trip, leaving his status as a massive question mark heading into October.
Despite being obviously hobbled, Freeman was able to overcome the odds to suit up as soon as the games came around, even though the Dodgers suggested he may need between four and six weeks to fully recover, according to MLB reporter Juan Toribio.
He played eight games between the NLDS and NLCS, only missing two contests. At one point he was even pulled early after the injury started to flare up. He hit just .219 in 33 plate appearances, driving in a single run, which had many wondering if it was wise for him to play with such an apparent injury.
The Dodgers eventually outlasted their competition to make the Fall Classic and in true shades of 1988 Kirk Gibson, Freeman delivered one of the most iconic moments in Dodger history.
With a one-run deficit heading into the bottom of the 10th inning, LA loaded the bases to make way for their veteran first baseman. Freeman demolished the first pitch he saw, sending the crowd into a frenzy and the Boys and Blue home with an early lead in the series.
From there, the momentum seemed indefinitely in the Dodgers' favor, especially since Freeman continued to slug at an unbelievable pace. He followed up Game 1 with a two-run shot in the third inning the next night, which came in the form of back-to-back bombs with Teoscar Hernández that sent LA to a 2-0 lead.
With games then landing in the Bronx, Freeman started the scoring almost immediately in Game 3, roping a two-run shot into the right field stands of Yankee Stadium in the first inning, in another Dodgers win that gave them a commanding 3-0 lead.
Even in their lone loss of the series, Freeman again homered, again in the first inning and again a two-run shot to right field, setting an MLB record.
The string of four games in the 2024 World Series, combined with the final two games of the 2021 World Series when he was with the Atlanta Braves, topped a record previously set by former-Houston Astro George Springer.
Freeman finished the World Series with six hits, four of which were home runs, and tying a World Series record with 12 RBIs — all of which came while he was operating at a much lesser level than he would've with his ankle injury.
On top of that, Freeman's season has been far from easy.
While he produced well on the field, as he typically does, his world was turned onto its head mid-season when his youngest son Maximus was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. The autoimmune disease left the 3-year-old temporarily paralyzed, fighting for his life.
After taking 8 games to spend time with family in the wake of the news, Freeman returned to the team with outstanding support from his teammates and Dodger fans alike. Pregame shirts featuring the phrase #MaxStrong could be seen throughout the dugout and during warmups, and as soon as he stepped to the plate one of the season's most emotional moments transpired.
It came in the bottom of the first inning in their Aug. 5 matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies. The pitch clock was halted and the crowd rose to their feet, giving Freeman a standing ovation after what was surely the most overwhelming period of his life.
"I wasn't expecting it, but very much appreciated from the Dodgers fans. They made it really hard to hit in that first at-bat, but that's a good thing," Freeman said during a postgame interview.
In the time since, as his son continues to recover and battle with the neurological condition, Freeman has been key in Los Angeles' fated run.
"From day one we knew we had a good group of guys," Freeman said. "The group of guys in this clubhouse became very, very close and showed that on the field."
He spoke with Sports Central's Jim Hill during the wild locker room celebration, despite the madness occurring around him.
"I don't want it to calm down, I don't want it to calm down at all," he said. "We're going to celebrate this for a long time, because it is just hard to do in this game — to win championships ... with this group of guys we get to have a parade finally for LA."
