Freddie Freeman was back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for Game 5 of the National League Championship Series as they looked to close out the New York Mets, but he failed to make an impact while clearly still being limited by a sprained right ankle.
Freeman was held out of Game 4 because of the lingering injury. The Dodgers believed it would put the 35-year-old in strong position moving forward, whether in the NLCS or if the team advances to the World Series.
But after watching Freeman labor through a hitless game, there’s a possibility he won’t be in the Dodgers lineup for Game 6 on Sunday.
“I’m going to have a conversation with him tomorrow,” manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 12-6 loss. “But I do think that his swing is not right. I’m certain it’s the ankle.
“We’ll have that conversation, but it’s certainly an option to not have him in there for Game 6.”
Freeman sprained his ankle on Sept. 26 and missed the Dodgers’ final series of the regular season that weekend. He has been in the Dodgers lineup for eight of their 10 playoff games thus far.
Had Freeman not played Friday, it would have afforded him three days off in a row before possibly returning to the field. But that wasn’t a scenario the Dodgers entertained.
“I think the one day was good. Yes, another day would probably have been better, certainly. But I just feel that I want to put our best lineup out there today. I want to win tonight,” Roberts said heading into Game 5.
Freddie Freeman’s stats
Freeman had a hard-hit line drive caught in the first inning and grounded out in his second at-bat. He then struck out in two ensuing at-bats, including once on a borderline pitch with the bases loaded.
Freeman is just 7-for-32 with one RBI in the 2024 postseason. He recently has appeared to lack enough stability to take usual swings and has been limited defensively as well.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
