"It only helped us" - Shohei Ohtani's teammate Freddie Freeman recalls their team’s unbreakable bond that led to their World Series win
It was a magical season for Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were crowned World Series winners before they even stepped on the field this season and rose to the occasion.
Often in sports, the best team on paper is not always crowned the champions. It takes more than just having the best players on the field; they have to form a special bond, one that cannot be broken.
That was the bond the Dodgers players shared. Freeman went into detail about this special bond during a recent airing of the Kelce Brothers' podcast, New Heights.
"When you sign Shohei [Ohtani] and he has everything he has to deal with when we were in Korea to start the year. So, rallying around a new teammate that quick and as a group, that fast, it only helped us," Freeman said.
Freeman detailed the early part of the season after the club signed Ohtani and the gambling scandal that came after involving his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. The saga could not escape headlines, and Ohtani and the rest of the team were at the forefront of it.
"And then obviously with my family in late July, them rallying around us. We had a lot of things as a group to rally around and it was so fast, and it was so special to see the group of guys and how we came together and overcame things," Freeman said.
Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and the Dodgers are poised to defend their title next season
While Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani are enjoying their World Series victory, it is never too early to look into next year. According to multiple sportsbooks, it will be the Dodgers' title to lose in 2025.
At the time of writing, FanDuel has set the club's odds to win the 2025 World Series at +400. They have the lowest odds, with the New York Yankees coming in second at +750.
These odds could get worse as we get deeper into the offseason. The Blue Crew is one of multiple teams that are not afraid to open up their checkbooks and sign a big-time player.
They have a need to add an outfielder this winter, and the biggest free agent this off-season is, in fact, an outfielder. If LA were able to sign Juan Soto, fans may see the smallest odds for any professional team to win it all.