When the World Series began, it was uncertain what Freddie Freeman could contribute to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He quickly made it clear that he was the MVP.
Freeman set records by hitting home runs in the first four games and matched a Fall Classic record with 12 RBIs, leading the Dodgers to victory over the New York Yankees for their second championship in five years.
“That means there was a lot of my teammates on base,” Freeman said after receiving the World Series MVP award, named after Willie Mays. “I’m glad I was able to get hot at the right time.”
The popular slugger shined again on Wednesday night with a two-run single off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole during a five-run fifth inning, helping Los Angeles secure a 7-6 win in Game 5.
Bobby Richardson of the New York Yankees also drove in 12 runs in 1960 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the championship that year with Bill Mazeroski’s famous homer that ended Game 7.
Freeman achieved his total in just five games against the Yankees, setting several World Series records along the way.
The 35-year-old first baseman homered in each of the first four games, becoming the first player to do so. His streak began when he hit the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a thrilling opener in Los Angeles.
Freeman’s two-run homer in the first inning on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium made him the only player to hit home runs in six straight Series games, dating back to the 2021 title he won with Atlanta.
He was denied an extra-base hit in the fourth inning of Game 5 when Aaron Judge made an incredible catch of his long drive while crashing into the fence.
The MVP award brings joy to the Freeman family after a challenging season. Freeman missed eight games in July and August when his 3-year-old son, Max, became ill while watching his father at the All-Star Game in Texas.
After they returned home, Max was hospitalized and placed on a ventilator due to partial paralysis and difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition that affects the immune system, nerves, and muscles.
Max’s health slowly got better, and Freeman returned to play on August 5. He received a warm welcome from Dodgers fans, which brought him to tears.
This season, Freeman batted .282 with 22 home runs and 89 RBIs. He is an eight-time All-Star and was the 2020 NL MVP with Atlanta. Over his 15 seasons in the majors, he has a career batting average of .300, with 343 homers, 1,232 RBIs, and an .899 OPS. He has batted .300 or better in eight seasons.
On September 26, Freeman sprained his right ankle while trying to avoid a tag at first base and missed the Dodgers’ last three regular-season games. He had no RBIs in the NL Division Series against the Padres and only one in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
Freeman missed three games in the NL playoffs because of his ankle injury. He did not play in the NLCS finale against the Mets and had six days off before the World Series, which helped his ankle feel better.
His improvement showed in his performance, and now Freeman will have a second World Series ring along with the MVP award to help him remember this unforgettable October.
