MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES VS DODGERS

October 30, 2024

Freddie Freeman

Yankee Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Dodgers - 7, Yankees - 6

THE MODERATOR: Welcome the Willie Mays World Series MVP, Freddie Freeman.

Q. This team has gone through, it seems like everything from Spring Training to now, going through that, obviously you've been in the Big Leagues for a long time, what was this experience like from start to finish?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: I don't think that was on the script of how we started off this year, but I think sometimes when those things kind of happen, it just rallies a group of guys together. When you start supporting a teammate in his first year, like we did, for him to go out there and have the greatest season, I think, of all time, pretty special.

It seems like we hit every speed bump possible over the course of this year. And to overcome what we did as a group of guys, it's special. This is what we start out to do every single Spring Training is to win a championship. I think it's the hardest thing to do in sports because you just never know what's going to happen.

I mean, we were down 2-1 in the NLDS and it easily could have gotten away from us. And to come back and win those two games and keep it going like we did, it's just a special group of guys.

Q. Freddie, you personally have also had quite the year. What have you learned about yourself this season?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: I would say a lot in so many different ways. I wish I'd never had to go through what we did as a family. But ultimately Maximus is doing really, really well right now. He's a special boy, but it has been a grind for three months. It really has. It's been a lot.

Then obviously with the injuries at the end, it makes it all worth it kind of in the end. I'll never compare Maximus to baseball. I won't. It's just two separate things, but with him doing really well now, it does mean a little bit extra.

Q. Freddie, when you're on a run like the one you're on during the World Series, can you best describe what that feeling is like when you're at the plate and you're as locked in as you were for the last week?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: Yeah, I've been asked this question a couple of times. You don't really think about it when you're up there. Things seem to be slowing down. That's kind of what you're just trying to do. And I think obviously experience definitely helps in this situation.

I did a lot of work in between the NLCS and the World Series. Thankfully, my ankle got into a good spot where I could work on my swing, and I found a cue that really worked for me. I was able to slow things down. All you're trying to do is swing at strikes, take balls, and hit the mistakes. Thankfully, I was able to do that for five games.

Q. Congratulations, Freddie. Second time for you. Can you talk about -- if you can take a step back, I know you know your abilities. You've been a great player since I talked to your dad. When you were growing up, you were always probably the best. Can you talk about when you realize what you have done on this stage, the four home runs, back to back to back, four straight games, the walkoff which is going to be -- you know it's going to be an iconic thing forever. Is it hard to comprehend what you have now achieved at all?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: Yeah, it's hard to comprehend because we just won about an hour ago. I haven't really thought about all that. But sitting here now, I've just been blessed to be able to play this game a long time and be in certain situations because of the group of guys, the organization. Just from top to bottom, to be put into a situation -- I mean, I got asked about the RBIs, and the RBIs are because there was guys on base. That's my teammates.

But, yeah, to come through in those situations, that's what you dream about as a kid, doing that in the World Series. It's hard to talk about right now, but maybe in a few days when I've let it settle in, I'll have better answers for you. Right now I'm just ecstatic.

Q. Freddie, we go to tonight's game when you're down 5-0 in the fifth inning and Cole is pitching as well as he is, what's the mindset in the dugout and how do you kind of get to that?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: After they scored three in the first, every half inning we came in, we were like just get one, chip away, chip away. Obviously we didn't do that the first couple of innings. In this game, when you're given extra outs, you've got to capitalize. That's what we were able to do in that inning.

I know they gave Volpe an error on that play, but if you slow it down and you see how Kiké ran to third base, that's what set up that play. Him having an unbelievable base running IQ there, and just to capitalize. You've got to get the big hits in the big situations, and we were able to do that in that inning.

Once you get it back to even, 5-5, anything can happen. I hope everyone is talking about the job Doc did tonight. We had a bullpen game yesterday, and Jack only went an inning and a third, and we made it through that game. That's one of the best games I've ever seen managed. That was special.

For Walker to want the ball in that situation -- I saw him in the fifth inning walking down with his glove and that look in his eye. And Blake Treinen, the job he did tonight. We could just go on and on. There were so many -- like we won it because everyone was in that room and contributing from day one. It's just special to be a part of.

Q. Can you take us through that fifth inning from a player's perspective? What was the feeling in the dugout entering that fifth inning being down 5-0 as everything was taking place and then the momentum shift?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: Yeah, Gerrit was throwing the ball great. He still threw the ball great the whole time. When Mookie came up and hit the squibber and was able to beat it out, you could just feel the excitement. Obviously I was coming up next, and you just want to keep the line moving.

I got down to two strikes, and I was able to foul off that change-up, which was huge. Because in those situations, you've got to foul off pitcher's pitches, and I got one right there and I was able to foul it off and see another next pitch, and thankfully hit the ball up the middle.

And then credit to Teo, right on right against Gerrit Cole is a very tough at-bat to put into the gap like he did.

When you're given extra outs and you capitalize in that kind of game, that's huge. For us to get it back to even, you could just feel the momentum just coming along.

Bullpen piece after bullpen piece doing the best they can, giving us -- keeping it close. We know what kind of offense we've had and we do have, and we were able to come through again in the eighth inning.

Q. What does this victory mean to you after a few days of Fernando Valenzuela's death?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: It's hard to put into words. My stepmom is from Los Angeles. She grew up watching Fernando. What Fernando means to the city of Los Angeles, and not just Los Angeles, to baseball fans around the world, I would assume.

He brought Fernando mania, and it was electric. I obviously wasn't alive during that, but to see what he meant to so many people being around him the last three years, I wish he was here. I'm glad he's up there probably with my mom and jumping up-and-down right now. I'm glad we were able to bring it home.

Kind of a little bittersweet, but I'm glad we were able to do it for Fernando and his family.