NEW YORK – When the World Series began, it was hard to imagine what Freddie Freeman would be able to bring to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He left no doubt who won the MVP.

Freeman broke records in home run in first four games and matched a Fall Classic mark with 12 RBIs to propel the Dodgers past the New York Yankees for their second championship in five years.

“It means there were a lot of my teammates on base,” Freeman said after receiving the World Series MVP award, named in honor of Willie Mays. “I’m glad I was able to get hot at the right time.”

The popular slugger delivered again Wednesday night with a two-run single against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in a five-run fifth inning that helped rally. Los Angeles to a decisive 7-6 victory in game five.

Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson also drove in 12 runs in 1960 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the championship that year thanks to Bill Mazeroski’s famous home run that ended Game 7.

Freeman compiled his total in just five games against New York, establishing several World Series standards along the way.

The 35-year-old first baseman homered in each of the first four games, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat. The sequence began when he threw the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a spectacular opening match in Los Angeles.

Freeman’s two runs in the first inning Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium made him the only player to appear in six consecutive games in the Series, dating back to the 2021 title he won with Atlanta.

He was robbed of an extra base hit in the fourth inning of Game 5 when Aaron Judge made a sensational catch of its long journey, crashing violently against the fence.

But the MVP award brought a joyous end to a scary and trying season for the Freeman family. Freeman missed eight games in July and August after his 3-year-old son, Maximus, fell ill while watching his father at the All-Star Game festivities in Texas.

When the family returned home, Max was hospitalized and put on a ventilator after suffering partial paralysis and difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré, a rare neurological disease that affects the immune system, nerves and muscles.

Max’s condition gradually improved and Freeman returned to work on August 5. He was greeted with a huge ovation from Dodgers fans that brought Freeman to tears.

“I wish I never had to go through what we went through as a family. But ultimately, Maximus is doing really well at the moment. He’s a special boy, but it’s been a chore for three months. It really is. That’s a lot,” Freeman said.

“Then obviously with the injuries at the end, it’s worth it in the end. I will never compare Maximus to baseball. I won’t do it. They’re just two separate things, but since he’s doing so well now, that means a little extra.

Freeman hit .282 this season with 22 home runs and 89 RBIs. An eight-time All-Star and 2020 NL MVP with Atlanta, he is a career .300 hitter with 343 home runs, 1,232 RBIs and an OPS of .899 in 15 major league seasons. He hit .300 or better eight times.

Freeman sprained his right ankle on September 26 against San Diego while trying to avoid a tag at first base by Luis Arráez and missed the Dodgers’ final three regular season games. He had no RBIs in the NL Division Series against the Padres and only one in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.

Freeman missed three games during the National League playoffs due to ankle pain. He did not play in the NLCS finale against the Mets and had six days off to play in the World Series, which gave the ankle time to feel better.

“I did a lot of work between the NLCS and the World Series. Luckily, my ankle ended up in a good place where I could work on my swing, and I found a cue that really worked for me,” he said. “I was able to slow things down . All you’re trying to do is swing. on strikes, taking balls and making mistakes. Luckily, I was able to do it for five games.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts places Freeman on his Mount Rushmore among his favorite players along with teammate Mookie Betts.

“He has gratitude, the desire to play every day, to know that it’s a job and your job is to play and you have to maximize your value — that’s through playing,” Roberts said Tuesday. “He’s my favorite player as far as what he does for the culture of the organization.”

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