Los Angeles Dodgers Defeat New York Yankees to Win World Series in Game 5

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the 2024 World Series.

The Dodgers won game five to clinch the title, with a final score of 7-6 on the Yankees’ home turf at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. This marks their eighth World Series championship.

It’s the first World Series victory for the Dodgers star pitcher, Shohei Ohtani. Meanwhile, the team made history as the first to claim pro baseball’s top title after falling behind by five or more runs.

“We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in this clubhouse that won this game today,” Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts said after Wednesday’s showdown, per MLB.com. “That’s what it was. It was love. It was grit. It was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us, and I’m just happy for us.”

While Los Angeles crossed its fingers, hoping for the best, the Yankees — back in the World Series for the first time since 2009 — proved no match for their West Coast rivals, including the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman, who was named the Series’ MVP. Freeman, 35, swatted four home runs during his team’s first four games against the Yankees, and drove in 12 runs over five games to tie a World Series record set by former Yankee Bobby Richardson circa 1960.

“This is everything,” Freeman said in a postgame interview on the field. “I’m telling you, I wouldn’t be here without the support of everyone in [Dodgers] shirts tonight.”

He downplayed his individual award and pointed toward the Dodgers’ collective trophy, saying, “That’s what it’s about!”

“Every spring training, this is our goal,” Freeman added of winning the Series. “And for it to come true, with this group of guys, I can’t have asked for a better year. Holy cow.”

Before the night’s first pitch, Freeman’s wife, Chelsea, took to Instagram and posted a photo of herself with their son, Charlie, 8, in the stands. In another snapshot, she showed off the back of her black leather jacket, which was embellished with images of her husband and the word “Freeman” in bright Dodger blue. “Game 5! Let’s gooo,” she captioned the post.

The ballplayer was a standout from the very beginning of the World Series. During the first Dodgers-Yankees matchup on Friday, October 25, he hit a grand slam to win the game. Following the walk-off grand slam, Freeman ran over to Chelsea and they embraced for a loving moment on the edge of the field.

It’s been a high point in the couple’s life after experiencing a tough year, including their 3-year-old son Max’s health battle. In July, Chelsea rushed Max to the hospital after he was unable to stand or walk. He eventually received a Guillain-Barré syndrome diagnosis. (Freeman and Chelsea are also parents to Brandon, 3.)

Weeks before the Dodgers entered the Fall Classic, Freeman opened up about the pair’s “trying” year.

“Every day it’s a mental grind,” he told The New York Times. “I’m mentally exhausted. It’s not just [Max] getting better. There’s so much more that goes into something like this. I could tell you I need more than three days. I could probably tell you I’d need the rest of my life to [reset].”