World Series MVP Freddie Freeman thanks fans at Dodger Stadium
After a historic performance in the Fall Classic, World Series MVP Freddie Freeman took the stage following the Dodgers championship parade to thank the loyal fans who supported him and his family in the past few months.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said. "I can't wait to run this back next year."
In early August, as the team geared up for the postseason, Freeman and his family announced that his son Maximus was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. The debilitating autoimmune disease left the 3-year-old kid temporarily paralyzed. After the diagnosis, Freeman left the team for eight games to spend time with his family. When he returned, the Dodgers welcomed the slugger back, wearing shirts with "#MaxStrong" printed on them.
In his first at-bat since his leave, the two teams stopped playing and the fans gave Freeman a standing ovation.
"When I came back after my son got sick," Freeman said. "You guys showed out for my family and I. That was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had on the field. I was so touched. I did everything I could to get on this field for you guys and I'm glad I did because we got a championship now!"
To add on top of the stressful situation surrounding his child's health, Freeman suffered a pair of injuries that sidelined him on the path to the World Series.
"This guy played with one leg, one rib because he loves you guys," manager Dave Roberts said. "He loves the Dodgers."
Before the postseason, the 35-year-old slugger sustained a severe ankle sprain that sidelined him during the team's final road trip. During the playoffs, he suffered another serious injury, a broken costal cartilage in his sixth rib, which typically sidelines players for months, according to ESPN.
Despite the injuries and his son's illness, Freeman excelled in the World Series, finishing with six hits, four of which were home runs — becoming the first player to homer in the first four games of the Fall Classic. Adding to his historic championship resume, Freeman also tied the record for the most RBIs in the World Series.
