World Series: Freddie Freeman wins MVP award after tying record with 12 RBIs for Dodgers

NEW YORK -- When nan World Series started, it was difficult to fig what Freddie Freeman would beryllium capable to supply for nan Los Angeles Dodgers.

He near nary uncertainty astir nan MVP winner.

Freeman collapsed records by homering successful nan first 4 games and matched a Fall Classic people pinch 12 RBIs to powerfulness nan Dodgers past nan New York Yankees for their 2nd title successful 5 years.

“That intends location was a batch of my teammates connected base,” Freeman said aft being presented pinch nan World Series MVP award, named successful grant of Willie Mays. “I'm gladsome I was capable to get basking astatine nan correct time.”

The celebrated slugger delivered yet again Wednesday nighttime pinch a two-run azygous disconnected Yankees ace Gerrit Cole successful a five-run 5th inning that helped rally Los Angeles to a clinching 7-6 triumph successful Game 5.

Yankees 2nd baseman Bobby Richardson besides drove successful 12 runs successful 1960 against nan Pittsburgh Pirates, who won nan title that twelvemonth connected Bill Mazeroski's celebrated homer that ended Game 7.

Freeman compiled his full successful conscionable 5 games against New York, setting respective World Series standards on nan way.

The 35-year-old first baseman homered successful each of nan first 4 games, becoming nan first subordinate to execute that feat. The streak began erstwhile he launched nan first game-ending expansive slam successful World Series history to triumph a melodramatic opener successful Los Angeles.

Freeman's two-run thrust successful nan first inning Tuesday nighttime astatine Yankee Stadium made him nan only subordinate to spell heavy successful six consecutive Series games, making love to nan 2021 title he won pinch Atlanta.

He was robbed of an extra-base deed successful nan 4th inning of Game 5 erstwhile Aaron Judge made a sensational catch of his agelong thrust while crashing difficult into nan fence.

But nan MVP grant put a joyous headdress connected a scary and trying play for nan Freeman family. Freeman missed 8 games successful July and August aft his 3-year-old son, Maximus, fell sick while watching his begetter astatine nan All-Star Game festivities successful Texas.

When nan family returned home, Max was hospitalized and put connected a ventilator aft he knowledgeable partial paralysis and breathing difficulty. He was diagnosed pinch Guillain-Barré, nan uncommon neurological information that affects nan immune system, nerves and muscles.

Max’s information gradually improved, and Freeman returned to activity Aug. 5. He was welcomed backmost by a immense ovation from Dodgers fans that prompted tears from Freeman.

“I wish I’d ne'er had to spell done what we did arsenic a family. But yet Maximus is doing really, really good correct now. He’s a typical boy, but it has been a grind for 3 months. It really has. It’s been a lot,” Freeman said.

“Then evidently pinch nan injuries astatine nan end, it makes it each worthy it benignant of successful nan end. I’ll ne'er comparison Maximus to baseball. I won’t. It’s conscionable 2 abstracted things, but pinch him doing really good now, it does mean a small spot extra.”

Freeman batted .282 this play pinch 22 homers and 89 RBIs. An eight-time All-Star and nan 2020 NL MVP pinch Atlanta, he is simply a .300 profession hitter pinch 343 homers, 1,232 RBIs and an .899 OPS successful 15 awesome convention seasons. He has deed .300 aliases amended 8 times.

Freeman sprained his correct ankle connected Sept. 26 against San Diego while trying to debar a tag astatine first guidelines by Luis Arráez and missed nan Dodgers’ past 3 regular-season games. He didn’t person immoderate RBIs successful nan NL Division Series against nan Padres and only 1 successful nan National League Championship Series against nan New York Mets.

Freeman missed 3 games during nan NL playoffs because of his ailing ankle. He didn’t play successful nan NLCS finale against nan Mets and had six days disconnected entering nan World Series, allowing clip for nan ankle to consciousness better.

“I did a batch of activity successful betwixt nan NLCS and nan World Series. Thankfully, my ankle sewage into a bully spot wherever I could activity connected my swing, and I recovered a cue that really worked for me," he said. “I was capable to slow things down. All you’re trying to do is plaything astatine strikes, return balls, and deed nan mistakes. Thankfully, I was capable to do that for 5 games.”

Dodgers head Dave Roberts puts Freeman connected his Mount Rushmore of favourite players on pinch teammate Mookie Betts.

“He’s sewage gratitude, nan desire to play each day, to cognize that this is simply a occupation and your occupation is to play and you’ve sewage to maximize your worth — that’s by playing,” Roberts said Tuesday. “He’s my favourite subordinate to beryllium astir arsenic acold arsenic what he does for nan civilization of nan organization.”

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