Freddie Freeman had already done much to infuriate New York Yankees fans, with the Dodgers first baseman crushing a Dramatic Grand Slam in the 10th inning of Game 1 of the World Series and a solo home run in a victory in game 2.
So it was no surprise when Freeman entered the batter’s box in the first inning of Game 3 at Yankee Stadium on Monday night that he was greeted with a very audible and vulgar chant from the Bleacher Creatures, right-field fans known for their fierce loyalty to the Yankees and hostility toward opposing teams.
“F-you Freddie!” Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap. “F-you Freddie!”
Freeman responded to the Bronx cheers by rewarding one of those fans with a souvenir, lining a two-run homer to right field off New York right-hander Clarke Schmidt to propel the Dodgers to a 4-2 victory in Game 3 and a command trio. -games against none lead in the best-of-seven series.
“Getting runs in the first inning is always huge, and it doesn’t matter how you do it,” the Dodgers third baseman said. Max Muncy “But having Freddie do that with a home run really electrified us and helped get the crowd out of the game right away.”
Freeman became the third player in major league history to homer in each of the first three games of a World Series, joining Barry Bonds (2002) and Hank Bauer (1958).
With the home runs he hit for the Atlanta Braves in Games 5 and 6 of the 2021 World Series against Houston, Freeman has now homered in five consecutive World Series games, tying a record set by George Springer with the Astros in 2017 and 2019.
“Five games in a row with a home run? This guy is doing it with a foot and other fractures everywhere,” second baseman Gavin Lux said of Freeman. “It’s been really fun to watch him do what he does after everything he’s been through this year. He is the ultimate competitor. It’s Freddie Freeman, nothing should surprise us.
A little over a week ago, Freeman’s right ankle, which he sprain during the last week of the regular seasonso injured that he was unable to play in the Dodgers’ 10–5 National League Championship Series victory over the New York Mets on October 20.
Freeman fought his way through the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres and the NLCS against the Mets, needing five to six hours of daily physiotherapy treatments and plenty of painkillers just to go on the field.
He provided little offense – Freeman had no extra-base hits and just one RBI in the first two rounds – but plenty of inspiration.
And now ? If the Dodgers manage to eliminate the Yankees and win the eighth World Series title in franchise history, Freeman would be an obvious choice for series most valuable player, with three homers, a triple and seven runs scored produced in the first three matches.
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“If we can find a way to win one more game, I hope Freddie never pays for a meal in LA again.” Kiké Hernández said. “Not just because of what he’s done in the last three days, but because of what he’s done in the last month to put himself in a position where he can just show up and wear cleats and not just be on the reserve list.
“We’ve talked about it a lot, but I really don’t think you have any idea what he went through to be able to play for us.”
Six days off before the World Series proved a much-needed elixir for Freeman’s ankle, which is far from completely healed but much more playable than it was in the first two rounds.
“Those days off were huge for me,” Freeman said. “I’ve gotten my ankle to a point where every game afterward, it’s not as bad as it was in the NLCS and NLDS. I got my ankle in a place where I could work on my swing, and I got (my swing) in a good place, fortunately, before the (World Series).
Freeman blasted an opposite-field triple down the left-field line in his first World Series at-bat in Game 1, an early indication that he was running much better. He moved from first to third on Teoscar Hernández’s seventh-inning single to center field Monday night.
More importantly, Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who won the 2020 NL MVP award with the Braves, looks like his old self in the batter’s box.
“He’s homered in three straight games, he gets hits the other way, he’s got great at-bats, he doesn’t chase,” Lux said. “He’s just locked up right now.”
So locked in that when asked about those first-inning chants Monday night, Freeman replied, “What chants?
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Um… those who bear your name.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Freeman said.
When told exactly what the fans were chanting, Freeman said, “Oh, I didn’t hear any of that. I mean, it’s just loud. You won’t hear anything. I don’t think they said it after (the home run), though.
Learn more: Complete coverage: Dodgers vs. New York Yankees in the World Series
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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
