The Los Angeles Dodgers will likely have Freddie Freeman in the lineup for the NLDS as he continues to rehab from an ankle injury.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin their playoff journey on Saturday evening against a familiar foe in the San Diego Padres. While there was some concern that star first baseman Freddie Freeman might not be healthy enough to go in Game 1 of the NLDS as he recovers from an ankle injury, skipper Dave Roberts dropped an important update on the situation Friday.
Via Fabian Ardaya:
“Freddie Freeman will run the bases and play defense today, Dave Roberts said. No decision will be made today on his availability, but Roberts said he still expects Freeman to be in the lineup on Saturday in Game 1.”
This is great news for the Dodgers, who will need to be at their best against a strong Padres group that has upset them in the postseason before. Freeman sprained his ankle last Thursday against San Diego while trying to avoid a tag at first base:
The veteran didn’t suit up in the Dodgers’ final series of the regular season against the Colorado Rockies, but he remained optimistic about playing in the Division Series. It’s been a tough campaign for Freeman personally, dealing with a couple of different injuries while also missing time because of his son’s scary health issue this past summer.
Despite all the obstacles, the 35-year-old still hit .282 with 22 long balls and 81 RBI. He’s a crucial part of this Los Angeles lineup and has a ton of playoff experience, which should prove to be important as they look to make a World Series run. Freeman has already taken batting practice and faced live pitching, therefore it’s pretty likely we’ll see him in the starting nine on Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium.
The first pitch is scheduled for 5:38 PT. Rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto will get the ball in the series opener, while Jack Flaherty will go in Game 2.
