NEW YORK —
Freddie Freeman shouldn’t be enjoying proper now. Docs instructed him that his sprained ankle typically takes at the least 4 weeks to heal. He has performed on the ankle for 2 weeks now, and the outcomes are getting worse.
Within the sixth inning of Friday’s recreation, Freeman received three 97-mph fastballs. He tipped one foul. He swung and missed on the different two.
Can he nonetheless generate the facility wanted to be productive at bat?
“I don’t know,” he stated. “I haven’t had an extra-base hit in a while.”
He may not get an opportunity on Sunday. One of many best hitters of our time is struggling to hit proper now. With a World Sequence berth there for the Dodgers’ taking Sunday, Freeman must be on the bench.
Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ supervisor, made no guarantees that Freeman would stay within the lineup for Sport 6 of the Nationwide League championship collection. Roberts stated he would focus on the difficulty with Freeman throughout Saturday’s exercise at Dodger Stadium.
“I do think that his swing is not right,” Roberts stated Friday. “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, yes.”
Freeman was not kidding about not having an extra-base hit shortly. His final one: a double 22 days in the past, the day he injured his ankle.
Within the division collection, he had 4 hits in 14 at-bats.
Within the championship collection, he has three hits in 18 at-bats.
Freddie Freeman stretches to power out New York’s Pete Alonso out at first base through the fifth inning Friday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Occasions)
He went hitless in 5 at-bats in Sport 5 Friday, stranding runners at second and third base within the first inning and leaving the bases loaded within the fourth.
He didn’t play in Sport 4 and was eliminated within the eighth inning of Sport 3, after Roberts stated he may see Freeman laboring.
With the charging of an sudden energy supply Friday, the Dodgers have a adequate patch for the lineup Sunday.
Rookie Andy Pages hit two dwelling runs Friday. He can stay in heart subject Sunday, with the New York Mets scheduled to start out left-hander Sean Manaea.
Kiké Hernández began at second base in opposition to Manaea in Sport 2. Chris Taylor began at second base in opposition to left-hander Jose Quintana in Sport 4 and will begin there in opposition to Manaea on Sunday.
That would depart the Dodgers to play Max Muncy at first base and Hernandez at third, or vice versa.
The monotony of the remedy on Freeman’s ankle — hours of it, daily — doesn’t assure that therapeutic is going on. The remedy will get him able to play as finest he can.
It’s not that the ankle feels significantly better, or a lot worse.
It’s not that he can’t do one thing this week that he may do final week. It’s that he can’t do what has made him an eight-time All-Star.
It’s what it’s, as they are saying.
“It’s like you’re running a 100-meter hurdle,” Freeman stated. “I keep hitting the same hurdle. I run right into it every time.”
If the Dodgers bench Freeman on Sunday and win, they might have 4 days off earlier than the beginning of the World Sequence. In all, that will give Freeman six days to give attention to relaxation and remedy, reasonably than on forcing his injured ankle to assist swing after swing.
That is likely to be sufficient to get Freeman into the beginning lineup for the World Sequence. It may not. However this isn’t working, and the Dodgers must be good about recognizing that.
