NEW YORK— Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman could barely draw a walk in the NL Championship Series against the Mets. Yet somehow in the World Series against the Yankees, he turned into the man who won an MVP award in 2020.

Freeman opened the game in the first inning with a two-run home run off Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt. He hit a home run in all three World Series games, joining Barry Bonds (2002) and Hank Bauer (1958) as the only players to do so.

In three World Series games, Freeman’s 4-for-13 (.333), all extra-base hits, including a triple and three home runs, with seven RBIs. How was he able to turn his postseason around?

“I think it was just the six days before the series was huge,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It kind of gave him a chance to get out of the woods. And so not that we are out of the problem, I think it is manageable and sustainable.”

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Including the day off after Game 5 NLCS and sitting out Game 6 of the NLCS, Freeman had a six-day period to rest his ankle before the World Series. It seems like this was all he needed to play at near full strength.

In eight games between the NL Division Series and NLCS, Freeman went 7-for-32 with a .219 batting average and slugging percentage. He recorded just one walk, one run and an RBI between the two series.

Freeman even played two games against the Mets in the NLCS, where he went 3-for-18 (.167 batting average). He was then a noticeably impaired player, with a visible limp and difficulty running.

“I think days off when you’re injured really helps,” Freeman said after the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Yankees. “But the reason is I was able to work on my swing. I got my ankle in a place where I can work on my swing and luckily I got it in a good place while participating in this series.

Freeman’s home streak extends beyond the three hits he allowed against the Yankees. Dating back to 2021, Freeman has hit a home run in five consecutive World Series games, along with George Springer who did so for the Astros from 2017 to 2019.