By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Freddie Freeman was named the Most Valuable Player of a star-studded World Series on Wednesday in a storybook ending to what has been a challenging season both on and off the field for the Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman.
The 35-year-old hit home runs in each of the first four games of the series, which the Dodgers won 4-1 over the New York Yankees, including a walk-off grand slam in Game One – the first in World Series history.
He finished the best-of-seven Fall Classic with 12 RBI and a .300 batting average and delivered a two-run single as part of a five-run fifth inning on Wednesday to help the Dodgers storm from behind to win Game Five 7-6 in New York.
“This is everything,” he said after receiving the MVP and World Series trophies.
“I wouldn’t be here without the support of everybody in these shirts tonight. It has been a grind these last three months but this organization and my family, this is what it’s all about right here.”
In July, Freeman’s son Max was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare neurological condition that left him temporarily paralyzed and on a respirator. Max is expected to make a full recovery.
Freeman then fractured his right middle finger while fielding a ground ball the following month, and in the final week of the regular season he suffered a right ankle sprain that forced him to miss postseason games.
Prior to his Game One grand slam he had not hit a home run since Sept. 16 and his availability for the World Series was in question as his swollen ankle required hours of treatment daily.
Freeman, the only player to homer in six consecutive World Series games after hitting home runs in the final two games of the 2021 World Series as a member of the Atlanta Braves, credited his teammates for his offensive explosion.
“Twelve RBI means there were a lot of my teammates on base,” he said.
“Heck of a job by everyone in this series. I’m glad I was able to get hot at the right time.”
COMEBACK
It looked like the Dodgers would have to pack the champagne for the trip back to the West Coast when the Yankees took a 5-0 lead on Wednesday but miscues in the fifth inning opened the door to the visitors.
“We were all saying it the first three innings, just get one, just chip away at it, we can do this,” Freeman said.
“Once there are a couple mistakes that happen, you have to capitalize. They gave us some extra outs and we were able to do that.”
The Southern California native said he had learned a lot about himself through his trials this year.
“I wish I’d never had to go through what we did as a family,” he said.
“But ultimately Maximus is doing really, really well right now. He’s a special boy, but it has been a grind for three months.
“Then obviously with the injuries at the end, it makes it all worth it in the end. I’ll never compare Maximus to baseball. It’s just two separate things, but with him doing really well now, it does mean a little bit extra.”
(Writing by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
