It was a spectacular moment when Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman had a walk-off grand slam to win Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees, 6-3. While the Dodgers are now preparing for Game 2 Saturday, manager Dave Roberts and teammate Mookie Betts shared their immediate reactions to the extraordinary ending to Friday night.
There have been many moments in baseball whether it be during the regular season, the playoffs, and especially the World Series that rank high all-time, one including a walk-off home run by former Dodgers player Kirk Gibson in 1988. However, Roberts would claim the moment by Freeman could be what some call the GOAT (greatest of all time) according to USA Today.
“It might be,” Roberts said, “the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed.”
Even for Betts who has been a part of other great moments like being on the Dodgers team that won the World Series in 2020, he would say after the game that it ranks high in his career of games he’s been a part of according to Jon Morosi.
“One of the best baseball games I’ve ever been apart of.”
Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman describes the walk-off grand slam
There is no doubt that Freeman has been through a lot this season whether it be taking care of his son who had to be hospitalized to fighting an injury that gave him trouble walking just recently. He would say the walk-off grand slam in extra innings was an out of body experience.
“It felt like, just kind of floating,” Freeman said. “Those are the kind of things when you’re five years old with your two older brothers and you’re playing wiffle ball in the backyard. Those are the scenarios you dream about, two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game. You dream about those moments even when you’re 35 and been in the league for 15 years. You want to be a part of those. For it to actually happen, and get a home run and walk it off, that’s as good as it gets right there.”
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Dodgers’ teammate gives his rendition of the amazing moment
It was an emotional moment for Freeman that was led by major excitement from his teammates like also Max Muncy who described exactly what he did as soon as the ball touched the star first baseman’s bat.
“I was actually standing on the top step, and I was holding my bat”’ Muncy said via USA Today. “I don’t know why I was holding it, there was no way I was going to get up that inning. Then he hit it, and as soon as he hit it, I just launched my bat. In that moment, the batter is going to normally tell you if he got it good or not. But with Freddie, you normally don’t get that because Freddie always just puts the bat down and runs. But when you look at home plate, and he’d just holding the bat in the air, standing in the box, and hasn’t even taken a step, you went, ‘Oh my gosh!’”
It seemed as if no one on the Dodgers would have rather had that moment but Freeman as Betts after the game would call him a “warrior” and “fighter” for what he has been through.