Dodgers hopeful Freeman will be ready for NLDS Game 3
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SAN DIEGO -- Despite Freddie Freeman not being able to finish Game 2 on Sunday night, the Dodgers remain optimistic that their star first baseman will be in the starting lineup for Tuesday night's pivotal Game 3 of the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Padres.
“Still sore,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “He’s getting treatment. Don’t know anything else. Outside of that, I think he’s very grateful for a mental break today.”
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It’s been a long grind for Freeman since suffering a badly sprained right ankle on Sept. 26, forcing him to miss the last three games of the regular season. In the week leading up to the start of the NLDS, Freeman spent most of his time at Dodger Stadium to try and manage the pain.
Hours before Game 1, most people around the Dodgers believed Freeman wouldn't be in the lineup. But after going through pregame drills and taking medication, Freeman started at first base and contributed with a pair of singles and a stolen base in the series-opening win.
On Sunday, however, Freeman aggravated the injury swinging at a Yu Darvish breaking ball in his second at-bat, Roberts said. Freeman played defense for a couple more innings, but he was taken out of the game in the sixth despite being due up in the bottom half of the frame.
The Dodgers are going to have to monitor Freeman’s availability for the rest of the series and beyond. Freeman should be in Tuesday’s lineup, but his status won’t be known until he comes to the stadium to get treatment.
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The same will happen in Game 4 on Wednesday night, though Roberts did open the possibility of Freeman sitting in the event the Padres go with left-hander Martín Pérez if the first baseman shows he can’t finish consecutive games on his bad ankle.
If Freeman is forced to miss any time, the Dodgers will start Max Muncy at first base and Kiké Hernández at third.
“The thought is [Freddie is] going to play tomorrow,” Roberts said. “If he can’t, then he won’t. And then obviously, potentially Pérez will take down Game 4 or the bulk of it. That might be a day that we might give him an extra day. But again, if he’s able to play and post, he’ll be in there.”