NEW YORK -- Thanks to a historic home run performance, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was named the 2024 World Series MVP following Wednesday's Game 5 win over the New York Yankees. In Game 4, Freeman became the first player ever to hit a home run in each of the first four games of a World Series.
Freeman's signature moment was his walk-off grand slam in Game 1, the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history.
Freeman's Game 4 home run gave him a six-game home run streak in the World Series dating back to his time with the Atlanta Braves in 2021. That is the longest World Series home run streak in history, breaking a tie with George Springer (2017-19). He added a key two-run single in a wild five-run fifth inning on Wednesday as the Dodgers dug out of a five-run hole to win the title-clinching Game 5.
"He's brought the desire. He's got gratitude," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about Freeman prior to Game 4. "The desire to play every day, to know that this is a job and your job is to play and you've got to maximize your value. And that's by playing. He's tough. He's about the team. If I had one player, I just -- I've said it before, if you -- all encompassing, he's my favorite player to be around as far as what he does for the culture, the organization, the team."
All told, Freeman went 6 for 20 (.300) with a triple, four homers, 12 RBI, and just one strikeout in the World Series. He did that despite playing on a sprained right ankle that hobbled him badly in the NLDS and NLCS. Freeman hit .219/.242/.219 in those two rounds and was out of the lineup entirely for NLDS Game 4 (elimination game) and NLCS Game 6 (potential pennant-clincher).
The Dodgers clinched the pennant last Sunday, which gave Freeman four days to rest his ankle before the World Series started last Friday. Those four days seemed to do him a world of good. Freeman was moving noticeably better on the bases and in the field during the World Series, and played every inning of every game.
Freeman, 35, slashed .282/.378/.476 with 35 doubles and 22 home runs during the regular season. This was the third season of his six-year, $162 million contract.
