PHOENIX − Freddie Freeman isn’t the biggest star on the Los Angeles Dodgers. That honor belongs to Shohei Ohtani.
He’s not the highest-paid player on the team either, ranking sixth on the club.
And he’s not their biggest celebrity, most flamboyant, or even most athletic.
But in a sea of riches in this Dodgers clubhouse, no one is more heroic than Freeman, who produced one of the greatest moments in franchise history, one that will never, ever be forgotten in Dodgers’ lore.
It was the night Freeman did his own impersonation of Kirk Gibson, limping to the plate with a badly sprained ankle and broken rib, his team down by one run in the 10th inning of Game 1 of the World Series, and then belting a home run into the right-field pavilion.
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It was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, lifting the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees, and in reality, ending the World Series when it barely started.
It was the greatest moment in Dodgers’ history since Gibson’s Game 1 homer in the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A’s, and just like Gibson’s blast, will live forever in World Series folklore.
It took time, maybe around Christmas, Freeman says, for it to all soak in, embracing the significance of the moment while watching the home run over and over again with his eight-year-old son, Charlie.
“I went down a rabbit hole on YouTube,’’ said Freeman, the unanimous World Series MVP, hitting four home runs with 12 RBI. “Just to see the reactions of people watching that game, and what it meant to so many people. I know Yankees fans weren’t too thrilled with it, but just what sports and baseball can do in general for so many people. And to be able to be a part of that for a very long time, I’m sure this home run is going to last for a long time. …
“Just being part of such an iconic franchise, and to have such a moment like that, and that’s going to last forever, it’s special.’’
Freeman became emotional just talking about it Saturday at the Dodgers’ first full workout, knowing not only what he endured to just play in the postseason, but the excruciating pain his family endured when his 3-year-old son Max was fighting for his life in August. Max was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.
“It meant a lot,’’ Freeman said, “and obviously what we went through as a family to have that situation come up. I mean, I told you guys my first game back (in August), I’d rather strike out in that situation than see Max go through it.
“Now, the complete opposite happened. It took a while. But, you know, every day I go out, there’s someone’s always coming up.’’
Freeman was having his blood drawn Saturday during his physical when the nurses began talking about the homer. One fan revealed to Freeman that he quit drinking alcohol after the home run because he wanted to be a better father for his kids. Another showed him a tattoo on his leg this winter that showed Freeman holding his bat, with Freeman autographing it.
“So, it’s still going, and it’s cool,’’ Freeman said. “It’s special. I’m just glad to be a part of so many wonderful memories for so many people.’’
Freeman now hopes to create a few more lasting memories, trying to help the Dodgers become the first National League team in 50 years to win back-to-back World Series since the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine’’ days.
He just needs to get healthy. His broken rib, which was diagnosed just two days before the postseason, healed on its own. He underwent surgery on Nov. 30 to remove a bone chip in his Achilles tendon while also shaving down bone spurs. And there’s no pain anywhere else on his body.
He just began swinging a bat this month, and after running on an anti-gravity treadmill, hopes to begin running on the field next week. He won’t be ready to play when spring training games open Thursday, but anticipates being healthy in time for the Dodgers’ season opener March 18 in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.
He believes he’ll be 100% when the Dodgers play their home opener March 27 against the Detroit Tigers, and then the goal will be to once again play in all 162 games, a milestone he has reached twice and at least 157 games in eight seasons.
Well, check that, Freeman said, make it 161 games. He’ll permit Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to give him a day off once again the following day after clinching the NL West division.
“It’s just amazing what he did for us,’’ Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips said. “I got a first-hand look at it in the training room every day, just watching what he had to go through to get his body ready.
“It was something that if they prepped enough, warmed up enough, triaged, taped, whatever they can do to get him to stand up on two legs to get into the batter’s box, that’s what they were going to do.’’
Phillips laughs at the memory in the Division Series against the San Diego Padres where there was a ball hit to Freeman’s left that he had to back-hand. Pitchers were instructed before the postseason that any ball hit towards Freeman, they were required to sprint to first base in case he was unable to get to the bag.
“So, I’m covering first base, and (catcher) Will Smith comes to the mound for a visit,’’ Phillips said, “and he says how he’s giving me a break. I say, ‘Give me a break? We’re giving Freddie a break. He needs to collect himself over there.’
“So just to watch that unfold through the postseason, to see him playing through it, all of the ebbs and flows, it was heroic what he did.’’
Yep, it brought back all of the memories of Gibson 36 years earlier, and a history listen for little Charlie, who celebrated his 4th birthday with a party on Saturday.
“He actually asked me who Kirk was,’’ Freeman said. “Sorry Kirk. He knows now, so that’s good.’’
Now, every toddler growing up as a Dodger fans will one day learn all about the legendary tale of Freeman.
“My son [Beau] is almost 2,’’ Phillips said, “and he’s really into baseball. So we put on this short movie-type thing on YouTube where it recounted the postseason.
“And right when Freddie makes contact with the ball on video, my son yells, “Home run.’
“So yeah, to always be able to look back on that, I get chills.’’
So does every other Dodger fan around the globe.
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