Freddie Freeman was named World Series MVP after incredibly long games

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was named MVP of the 2024 World Series on Wednesday night, cementing his place in MLB history in a season that was anything but easy for the slugger.

It was the inevitable outcome after all was said and done The Dodgers outperformed their longtime rivals, the New York Yankees in five games, but before the series it wasn't even clear whether Freeman would be on the postseason roster.

Freeman, now 35, suffered an ankle sprain so severe it was life-threatening had to sit out for the team's final road tripso his status remains a big question mark until October.

Although Freeman was obviously hampered, he was able to overcome the odds to return to action as soon as games began, although the Dodgers suspected he could need between four and six weeks to fully recover, according to MLB reporter Juan Toribio .

He played eight games between the NLDS and NLCS, missing only two contests. At some point it was even pulled early after the injury flared up. He hit just .219 in 33 plate appearances and drove in a single run, leaving many wondering whether it was wise for him to play with such an obvious injury.

The Dodgers ultimately outlasted their competition and made it to the Fall Classic in true Kirk Gibson and Freeman style from 1988 delivered one of the most iconic moments in Dodgers history.

Facing a one-run deficit in the bottom of the 10th inning, LA loaded the bases to make room for their veteran first baseman. Freeman destroyed the first pitch he saw, getting the crowd excited and the Boys and Blue went home with an early lead in the series.

From there, the momentum seemed to work in the Dodgers' favor indefinitely, especially as Freeman continued to hit at an incredible rate. He followed Game 1 with one Two-run shot in the third inning the next nightwhich came in the form of back-to-back bombs from Teoscar Hernández that gave LA a 2-0 lead.

When the games landed in the Bronx, Freeman started scoring almost immediately in Game 3, blasting a two-run shot into the right field stands at Yankee Stadium in the first inning another Dodgers win That gave them a commanding 3-0 lead.

Even in their only loss in the series Freeman hit another home runagain in the first inning and again a two-run shot to right field, setting an MLB record.

The four-game streak in the 2024 World Series, combined with the final two games of the 2021 World Series while with the Atlanta Braves, surpassed a record previously set by former Houston Astro George Springer.

Freeman finished the World Series with six hits, including four home runs, and 12 RBIs – all while operating at a much lower level than he would have with his ankle injury.

Furthermore, Freeman's season was anything but easy.

While he performed well on the field, as he usually does, his world was turned upside down mid-season when his youngest son, Maximus, was born he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. The autoimmune disease left the three-year-old temporarily paralyzed and fighting for his life

After taking eight games off to spend time with his family following the news, Freeman returned to the team with outstanding support from his teammates and Dodger fans alike. T-shirts emblazoned with “#MaxStrong” could be seen in the dugout and during warmups before the game, and as soon as he stepped to the plate, one of the most emotional moments of the season occurred.

It came in the bottom of the first inning in the matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 5th. The pitch clock stopped and the crowd rose to its feet, giving Freeman a standing ovation after what was surely the most overwhelming time of his life.

“I didn’t expect it, but the Dodgers fans really appreciated it. “They made it really hard to score in the first shot, but that’s a good thing,” Freeman said during a postgame interview.

Since his son's continued recovery and battle with the neurological disease, Freeman has played a key role in his fateful career in Los Angeles.

“From day one we knew we had a good group,” Freeman said. “The group of guys in this clubhouse has become very, very close and it showed on the field.”

He spoke to Sports Central's Jim Hill during the wild locker room celebration, despite the madness surrounding 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's just hard to win championships in this game… with this group of guys we can finally put on a parade for LA.”