Freddie Freeman had secret injury in World Series Chargers fans are familiar with

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games in to secure the eighth World Series title in franchise history. World Series MVP Freddie Freeman served as LA's hero, doing so on a bum ankle that brought back memories of Kirk Gibson. It turns out, though, that Freeman was secretly dealing with another injury that previously impacted LA Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

No, Freeman was not dealing with a plantar fascia injury, which sidelined Herbert during training camp. Nor was he playing with a broken finger, which prematurely ended Herbert's 2023 campaign.

Instead, as revealed by ESPN's Jeff Passan, Freeman fought through the World Series with broken rib cartilage; the same injury that majorly impacted Herbert in the 2022 season.

Passan revealed Freeman felt a twinge in his rib cage while taking batting practice during the Dodgers' week off before the NLDS against the San Diego Padres. After ignoring the pain, Freeman took more swings the following day when the injury occurred.

"Unable to even pick himself off the floor, Freeman was helped into the X-ray room next to Los Angeles' dugout. The results were inconclusive, and around 9:30 p.m., he received a call. The Dodgers wanted him to drive to Santa Monica for more imaging," Passan wrote. "He hopped in the car, then in an MRI tube. Around 11:30 p.m., the results arrived: Freeman had broken the costal cartilage in his sixth rib, an injury that typically sidelines players for months."

Freddie Freeman pulled off World Series heroics for Dodgers with the same injury that held Justin Herbert and the Chargers back in 2022.

It is quite remarkable that Freeman produced one of the most iconic moments in World Series history and take complete control of the series with the same injury Herbert battled through in 2022.

Herbert never missed time with his fractured cartilage injury but it affected his play. Herbert was not the same for weeks and while his toughness is a testament to his character, there was only so much he could do with the injury.

The Chargers had to completely game plan around Herbert's injury and remove any risk of him getting hit. Granted, Freeman and the Dodgers didn't have to be worried about getting tackled by a 300-pound defensive lineman, but he did have to swing a baseball bat at a very high level.

Freddie Freeman fought through the pain and led Los Angeles to the promised land. In a season that has already included a plantar fascia injury and a sprained ankle, the hope is that Justin Herbert can do the same.