2024 review: Freddie Freeman

Freeman dealt with injuries to his finger, ankle, and ribs, but in the face of adversity on and off the field, he triumphed all the way to winning World Series MVP.

The 2024 season was the most arduous season for Freddie Freeman throughout his big league career, as the first baseman dealt with numerous injuries and dealt with his son being hospitalized with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Before spring training began, there was a whirlwind of hype surrounding the Dodgers’ new big three of Freeman, Mookie Betts, and the then-reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani. The trio was interviewed by Harold Reynolds during spring training at Camelback Ranch, where Freeman alluded to the one-of-a-kind talent Ohtani is on the field.

“That’s the stuff you do as a kid, and, you know, he’s doing it in the big leagues. All of us were like ‘How is this even possible?’”

That statement included a bit of foreshadowing for the events to come later on in the season for Freeman.

A running theme throughout Freeman’s time as a Dodger is having his power progress throughout the season, usually surfacing more as the year gets warmer. Freeman’s 2024 season was no different, starting out the season with just two home runs through the end of April, still slashing .302/.424/.431 over that span.

Gradually over the next two months, Freeman’s power began to sprout, connecting for 10 home runs over the course of May and June while slashing a robust .292/.382/.544 and increasing his seasonal OPS from .855 to .899.

For the eighth time in his career and for a fourth consecutive season, Freeman was selected to the All-Star Game, this time serving as the backup to starting first baseman Bryce Harper.

Max Strong

While in Arlington for the midsummer classic, Freeman’s three-year-old son, Maximus, became ill with a viral infection. When the Dodgers resumed play in the second half, Maximus woke up with a limp during the team’s series against the San Francisco Giants, leading to an inability to walk later that day.

“The Giants series was obviously a very tough time for us as well. He woke up Monday morning with a limp, and by Monday night, he couldn’t walk anymore.”

Initially, medical professionals diagnosed Maximus with transient synovitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the hip joint, usually triggered by a viral infection and mainly occurs in children between the ages of 3 and 12.

The symptoms continued to worsen until the Freemans found out that Maximus was dealing with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of their peripheral nervous system. Maximus was taken into the ICU and was placed under a ventilator later that week.

“He wasn’t eating or drinking anymore, so that was the reason we took him in. We still thought it was transient synovitis… within four days [the paralysis] had reached to his shoulders and was affecting his diaphragm when breathing.”

As the Dodgers prepared for their away series against the Astros, Freeman stepped away from the team to deal with his son’s condition. He would miss the next eight games, while the Dodgers searched for options to fill at first base and at the top of the lineup with Mookie Betts still dealing with a fractured left hand.

Freeman eventually made his return back to the Dodgers to open up their home series against the Phillies on August 5, and he received a standing ovation during his first at-bat. After spending eight days in the ICU, Maximus was discharged from the hospital that same day.

The Dodgers would sport a shirt with the hashtag #MAXSTRONG across the front and Freeman’s number 5 placed on the back for the remainder of the regular season and through the postseason.

In the pregame conference, Freeman struggled to hide his emotions when discussing what his family was experiencing.

“No one should have to go through this, especially a three-year-old. I don’t know how many times Chelsea and I said we wish we could switch,” Freeman said. “I think a lot of us are parents in here. Seeing one of your kids on a ventilator fighting, it was hard.”

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Over his final 43 games of the regular season, Freeman posted moderate offensive numbers, slashing .270/.335/.436 with six home runs and 22 RBI, including a four home run barrage against the Diamondbacks in a four game series at Chase Field.

In the Dodgers’ final home game of the regular season against the Padres, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Freeman hit a sharp ground ball to the right side. Hoping to avoid the tag of first baseman Luis Arraez, Freeman landed awkwardly on his right ankle and began writhing in pain. Freeman had suffered a right ankle sprain and missed the team’s final regular season series in Colorado.

Gibby, meet Freddie!

Freeman showed his resilience by making sure he was ready to play in NLDS against the Padres. The prognosis for his injury was a four to six week timeline, and the team ran a huge risk of starting him just a week removed from initially sustaining the injury.

Freeman got the start in both Games 1 and 2, but outside of risky yet successful stolen base attempt, wasn’t a factor in the Dodgers lineup. He had to be removed from the game during Games 2 and 5 while being out of the lineup completely for Game 4.

The NLCS saw Freeman trudge his way from second base to home plate on a two-run single from Max Muncy, but that was the only real highlight he had in the six-game series win over the New York Mets.

Questions surfaced whether or not Freeman would be a reliable force in the Dodgers’ lineup for the World Series against the New York Yankees. Up to that point, Freeman slashed just .219/.242/.219 with one RBI and zero extra-base hits in eight games played over the past two series.

In his first World Series at-bat since Game 6 of the 2021 Fall Classic, Freeman laced a line drive down the left field line that rolled into the corner. A misplay from left fielder Alex Verdugo allowed Freeman to hustle all the way to third base with a stand-up triple.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Dodgers were down to their last out after Shohei Ohtani popped out against southpaw Nestor Cortes. After the Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases, Freeman stepped up with the tying run just 90 feet away. With one mighty swing, Freeman became a Dodgers postseason legend.

“Freeman hits a ball to right field. She is gone! Gibby, meet Freddie!”

Freeman connected for the first ever walk-off grand slam in World Series history and became the first Dodger to hit a walk-off home run in the World Series since Kirk Gibson in 1988. Coincidentally enough, both home runs were hit at the exact same time at 8:37 p.m. PT.

When speaking with Robert Flores of MLB Network, Freeman described what it felt like to hit a walk-off grand slam in the World Series.

“Being able to come through in that situation in this kind of moment, it’s where you dream about when you’re five-years-old in the backyard. To actually have it come true is pretty incredible.”

Freeman didn’t slow down the rest of the way, as he added home runs in each of the next three games to give him six straight World Series games with a home run, surpassing the previous record held by George Springer. After slashing .300/.364/1.000 with four home runs and 12 RBI, Freeman was rightfully named as the World Series MVP.

Freeman had played through the postseason with a fractured right ankle and sprained ankle that hadn’t fully healed, and it later came out that he played through the postseason with a broken costal cartilage in his sixth rib.

He had surgery in December 5 on that right ankle, and is expected to be ready for spring training.

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Freeman had amassed a reputation as a work horse, having played in at least 158 games in each of the past five full seasons. Freeman managed to play in just 147 games in 2024, his lowest in a full season since 2017. Although his power remained constant with another 20+ home run campaign, his .854 OPS was his lowest since 2015, and it was the first season of his Dodgers tenure where he didn’t record at least 100 RBI or 40 doubles. Entering his age-35 season in 2025, the hope is that the injuries he suffered last season won’t affect his productivity as he wanes out of his physical prime.

2024 particulars

Age: 34

Stats: .282/.378/.476, 22 HR, 89 RBI, 35 2B, 78 BB, 81 R, 137 wRC+, 4.7 rWAR, 4.0 fWAR in 147 games

Salary: $27 million ($7 million of which was deferred)

Game of the year

Freeman had his fair share of highlights in the regular season, including a multi-home run game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 2, but the game that will live on for generations to come was his heroics in Game 1 of the World Series.

Roster status

Freeman still has three years left on his six-year, $162 million contract. He’ll receive $15 million of his $27 million salary in 2025, with the remaining $12 million deferred.