Freeman Makes History: Baseball's First World Series Walk-Off Grand Slam

A look at 15+ years of near-misses and what-ifs before Freddie Freeman made World Series history by hitting the first walk-off grand slam.

For a deeper historical dive into World Series walk-off grand slam opportunities before Freeman's, check out my follow-up piece here.

When Freddie Freeman launched a walk-off grand slam to win Game 1 of the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, he didn't just win a crucial playoff game - he made history. In over 690 World Series games prior to that moment, no player had ever ended a Fall Classic contest with baseball's most dramatic hit: a bases-loaded home run.

The rarity of this achievement caught my attention during Game 3, when a broadcast graphic highlighted this remarkable statistic. It prompted me to dig into Baseball Savant's database to uncover just how close we'd come to witnessing this feat before.

Near Misses and What-Ifs

Looking at data from 2008 onward, several players have come to the plate in potential grand slam situations during World Series games. However, the circumstances needed for a walk-off grand slam are specific - not only does the batter need to be up with bases loaded, but it has to be a home game for their team.

Here are the notable World Series grand slam opportunities since 2008:

• Javier Báez (Cubs) hit the ball 343 feet in a 2016 World Series Game 7 vs. Cleveland.

• Jose Trevino (Yankees) also hit the ball 343 feet vs. the Dodgers in Game 2 of this year’s World Series.

While these players all came to the plate with bases loaded and the potential for a grand slam, they weren't in position for a walk-off since their teams were on the road.

The Closest Call

But perhaps the nearest miss came in Game 1 of the 2015 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets. On October 27, 2015, after an epic back-and-forth battle that included Alex Gordon's game-tying solo shot in the ninth inning, the Royals and Mets found themselves deadlocked at 4-4 in the bottom of the 12th. The stage was perfectly set for history:

• Paulo Orlando singled to third base

• Alcides Escobar moved Orlando to second with a sacrifice bunt

• Ben Zobrist received an intentional walk

• Lorenzo Cain grounded out, advancing the runners

• Eric Hosmer was intentionally walked, loading the bases

Up stepped Jarrod Dyson, the speedster who had entered the game as a pinch runner earlier. With two outs and the bases loaded, Dyson had a chance to create World Series lore. A home run in this moment would have technically been more than needed - the Royals only required one run to win - but it would have given us our first World Series walk-off grand slam, nine years before Freeman's historic blast.

Instead, Dyson hit the ball 300 feet to center field. The Royals would eventually win the game in the 14th inning on Eric Hosmer's sacrifice fly, and go on to win their first World Series title since 1985. But baseball fans would have to wait nearly another decade for their first walk-off grand slam moment in the Fall Classic.

The Rarity of the Moment

That it took 690+ World Series games for this to happen speaks to the perfect storm of circumstances required. Not only does a team need to be:

• At home

• Have the bases loaded

• Be in position where a home run would win the game

• Actually hit the home run

But all of this needs to align in the sport's biggest stage, where the pressure is at its highest and the pitching is typically at its best.

Freeman's historic blast serves as a reminder that even in a sport as old as baseball, with its rich history and countless memorable moments, there are still new feats to be accomplished and barriers to be broken. It took over 690 games, but when it finally happened, it was worth the wait.