After utilizing a strong seventh inning to overcome the San Diego Padres and secure their 11th NL West title in 12 seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated once more on Thursday night. Walker Buehler appeared prepared for the postseason, Shohei Ohtani recorded three hits, and everything was going smoothly in Chavez Ravine. That is, almost. Freddie Freeman, the All-Star first baseman, hurt his ankle while trying to run out a ground ball in the bottom of the seventh inning. This development put a dampener on Los Angeles’ postgame celebrations.
The Dodgers had to consider the prospect of missing one of their big three players at the top of the order as Freeman stayed on the ground in agony. But it seems that L.A. can let out a little breath: Following the game, the crew provided an update on Freeman’s health, and it appears that all the worst-case scenarios were avoided. A positive update on Freddie Freeman’s injury concerns the Dodgers.
During the post-game celebration on the field, Freeman was seen using crutches and a walking boot. However, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, there is no structural damage to his ankle, and more significantly, the Dodgers think he’ll be ready to play in Game 1 of the NLDS next weekend. Of course, there’s still a long way to go until then, and it’s unclear how quickly Freeman will recover. Yet if you have a sprained ankle, He has more than a week to get everything in order before the Division Series begins on Saturday, October 5. Los Angeles has to pray that he does. Throughout his career, Freeman has been a great postseason hitter. The trio of Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and Mookie Betts has carried this offense all season long, hiding the fact that the remainder of the lineup contains some vulnerable spots that might be exploited. Things become a little more complicated when one of the main three is removed.
