Dodgers' Freddie Freeman was dealing with more than an ankle injury on way to World Series MVP

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was all smiles as his team won Game 5 of the World Series against the New York Yankees.

A lot of their success had to do with his at-bats. 

Freeman was named World Series MVP after he crushed four homers, one of them Game 1’s walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning, and knocked in 12 runs in 20 at-bats. 

It’s as impressive a World Series as you can have individually, and even more so considering what Freeman was going through physically. 

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However, while everyone knew he went into the postseason with a sprained ankle after trying to avoid a tag, he was dealing with a different injury on top of it. 

ESPN’s Jeff Passan revealed Freeman had a rib ailment he was also fighting through after feeling a "twinge in his rib cage when he took a swing during a simulated game" prior to the postseason. The Dodgers had a bye as the top seed in the National League, so they were staying warm with simulated games and other drills before facing the San Diego Padres. 

DODGERS' FREDDIE FREEMAN WINS WORLD SERIES MVP WITH HISTORIC PERFORMANCE VS. YANKEES

Freeman initially tried to shake off the pain, knowing that the ankle was the real concern. However, the rib injury got worse during a live batting practice session at Dodger Stadium to the point Freeman "crumpled to the ground."

After getting an MRI, Freeman found out he had broken costal cartilage in his sixth rib, an injury that can sideline a player for months. 

Freeman’s father, Fred, revealed to ESPN he didn’t want to see his son in pain, telling him not to play. 

"I actually told him to stop," Fred said. "I said, 'Freddie, this is not worth it. I know you love baseball. I love baseball. But it's not worth what you're going through.' And he looked at me like I was crazy, and he said, 'Dad, I'm never going to stop.'"

Freeman’s decision led to MLB history. His four homers in four straight games helped him break a World Series record with homers in six straight games in the World Series, dating to his 2021 championship with the Atlanta Braves. 

And Freeman entered the series with the Yankees without an extra-base hit in the postseason. He had seven singles and one walk against the Padres and New York Mets. 

Freeman launched his glove when Walker Buehler struck out Alex Verdugo for the final out in Game 5, and if he was still dealing with pain, he likely wasn’t feeling it as he celebrated with his teammates after capturing his second ring. 

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