From struggle to triumph: Freddie Freeman’s journey to an…

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the 2024 World Series. Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the Fall Classic completely shifted the momentum, as Los Angeles earned a 6-3 victory to stun New York. There is one especially interesting element of Freeman’s incredible moment, though.

For anyone who has consistently watched Freeman over the years, they understand that the slugger often looks to take the ball to either center or left field. He lets the ball travel before driving it the other way with authority. Yet, in the World Series, and certainly on his Game 1 walk-off grand slam, Freeman pulled the baseball.

So what led to the Dodgers star changing his approach at the plate?

“I don’t really remember it, I kind of blacked out,” Freddie Freeman said on New Heights, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment. “You’re trying to remember the feeling and I can’t. I usually look away to just drive the ball to left center. And I was like, ‘you know what, I’m going to switch this up… I’m going to look closer to me.’ So I was looking heater in… up and in. And I guessed right.

“He threw it right in the spot I was looking. I knew it was gone right when I hit it.”

Freddie Freeman’s World Series moment

Freeman hit the grand slam off Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes. The Yankees decided to challenge Freeman with a fastball, and it is safe to say they probably regret that decision. With the bases loaded, though, New York could not pitch around Freeman. As a result, Freeman was expecting a good pitch to hit and that is exactly what he got.

It needs to be remembered that Freeman does not pull the ball on a consistent basis. It is easy to argue that Cortes should have placed the first pitch on the outside corner, but Freeman’s reputation makes that decision risky as well. In fact, one could even argue that pitching Freeman inside is less risky and then letting him get his arms extended on an outside fastball given his elite ability to take the ball the other way.

In the end, Freddie Freeman was simply locked in throughout the 2024 Fall Classic. It was an incredible effort as he won the World Series MVP after hitting .300 with four home runs in the series.