In tonight's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, a beloved Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star is missing from the lineup.
In yesterday's game against the Cardinals, first baseman Freddie Freeman jammed the middle finger on his right hand while fielding a ground ball. His x-rays are negative, meaning the former World Series champion is being monitored day-to-day for his return.
Freeman is being replaced by utility player Kiké Hernández who also replaced him in the game where the injury occurred. Additionally, Miguel Rojas moved to third base and Nick Ahmed has moved into shortstop.
While it will be sad not seeing Freeman in tonight's game, it's a smart decision for the Dodgers to play itself, especially when the postseason is in sight. Multiple players have been injured recently, including pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who was put on the 15-day injured list recently.
Freeman is easily one of the best players on Los Angeles' roster. This year, Freeman has maintained a .292 batting average with 69 runs, 72 RBI, 17 home runs, and six stolen bases.
This isn't the first time Freeman has been missing from action. On July 26, Freeman took a leave of absence after his son was hospitalized due to Guillain-Barré syndrome. Fortunately, the family has announced on social media that he is making good progress.
While this isn't the most dangerous injury, it is still the best decision for the club. The Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres are nipping at the Dodgers' heels for the top spot in the National League. Los Angeles will need to be at full strength if they are to maintain their success and win it all.
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Jeremy Hanna has been writing professionally since 2018. He now works as an associate editor for the LA Sports Report Network when he's not contributing to The Sporting News.
Dodgers' Freeman Out Due to Jammed Finger
A ground ball got Freeman on the middle finger on his right hand in the sixth inning on Saturday, and left the game soon after. X-rays were negative.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is out of Sunday’s lineup after leaving Saturday’s game with a jammed right finger. Kiké Hernández starts at first base instead in the series finale against the Cardinals.
The play in question was a Nolan Gorman grounder in the sixth inning that ricocheted off the middle finger on Freeman’s right hand. Freeman made the play, then remained in the game on defense through the seventh inning.
A Finger Injury For Freeman
Freddie Freeman is out of the game as a result of a finger injury sustained on this play in the 6th inning, per @Ken_Rosenthal.
In the top of the eighth, Teoscar Hernández was in the on-deck circle to hit for Freeman when the inning ended. Freeman was replaced on defense in the bottom of the frame.
X-rays on Freeman’s finger were negative on Saturday, though concern remained.
From Bill Plunkett in the Orange County Register:
“I was a little nervous when my finger blew up like that,” he said, showing reporters the swollen finger.
“It just started getting bigger and bigger, and as you guys know, when you jam something, it just kind of swells and gets tight. It was kind of hurting to throw, so best to get me out and get some ice on it and see how we do the next day.”
Freeman’s finger felt worse on Sunday, per reporters on-site at Busch Stadium, and it could stretch into the homestand which starts Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers' Freeman Expected to Miss Time
Dave Roberts said Freeman’s finger is worse today and can’t grip a bat. #Dodgers
Dave Roberts said Max Muncy will fly to Los Angeles and there’s a chance he’s activated tomorrow instead of Tuesday. Plan is still for Tommy Edman to be activated tomorrow, and Blake Treinen to be active on Tuesday.
Days off are rare for Freeman, who has played in 975 of 993 games (98.2 percent) since the start of the 2018 season. In his first two seasons with the Dodgers, Freeman started every game at first base until the day after the team clinched the division. This year prior to Sunday, the only times Freeman didn’t start was when his son Max was in the ICU, missing eight games.
Freeman's Time in the Spotlight
The Dodgers dropped the second game of their series with the St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 5-2. After the game it was revealed that star first baseman Freddie Freeman suffered a finger injury, putting him as day-to-day going forward.
Here is everything you may have missed from Saturday:
During a recent game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Dodgers’ first baseman Freddie Freeman experienced a finger injury after a ground ball took a bad hop. Fortunately, x-rays were negative, suggesting he might not miss much time. The Dodgers are now on high alert, especially as they’ve just welcomed back Mookie Betts from injury. With Freeman being pivotal to the team’s offensive firepower, his quick return could be crucial as the Dodgers aim to cement their position in the postseason.
Freeman's Absence
Freeman will get a CT scan on his middle finger Monday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Freeman jammed his middle finger in Saturday's game against the Cardinals. While X-rays after contest came back negative, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Sunday that Freeman's finger is bad enough where the 34-year-old first baseman cannot grip a bat, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports. The silver lining for the Dodgers is that Max Muncy (oblique) is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list Monday, and he would provide depth at first base alongside Enrique Hernandez if Freeman were to be sidelined for an extended period of time.
A Long Line of Injuries
The Los Angeles Dodgers have seen all sorts of injuries this season. They have come both in the pitching staff and position players, with some of the main players being forced out of the lineup.
During the Dodgers game on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals, the injury issues continued. Star first baseman Freddie Freeman took a bad ground ball that caught the middle of his right hand.
Luckily, initial x-rays were negative and the infielder is considered day-to-day. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register broke the news of the issue on social media.
The last thing that the Dodgers need is for Freeman to be out of the lineup for a significant time. Luckily, it seems that he may have avoided serious injury but he may still miss a game or two.
A Blow to the Lineup
With the National League West division race being so close, losing the bat of Freeman hurts Los Angeles. They need everyone healthy to finish the job of winning the division so hopefully, Freeman won't be out for too long, if at all.
We will likely know more soon but the initial X-rays being negative is a good sign. Freeman has been a steady bay in the Dodgers lineup all season amid the different problems that they have seen.
Star Mookie Betts just returned from a long stint on the injured list so this is just another in a long line of issues for Los Angeles. On the year, Freeman has hit .292 with 17 home runs and 71 runs batted in.
Los Angeles needs Freeman in the lineup for them to go for their goal of winning another World Series. The team may take a cautious approach with Freeman to avoid any lingering issues coming up down the line.
Letting Freeman fully heal from this seems like the best course of action and the Dodgers are typically hesitant to rush players back from injury.
Los Angeles is expecting to get both utilityman Tommy Edman and third baseman Max Muncy back from injury next week so reinforcements are on the way. The Dodgers just placed ace starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow on the injured list too, adding to the list of players hurt this season.
It's been a trying season for the Dodgers but they have somehow pushed through and kept their heads above water. They are one of the better teams across baseball despite all the injury issues that have presented themselves.
The Dodgers Continue to Push Through
The timing is less than ideal for Los Angeles, as it is just 1-3 in the last four games and attempting to hold off the fast-charging San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.
San Diego is just two games back, while Arizona is three behind.
Freeman is one of the most consistent producers in the league with a resume that includes a World Series crown, National League MVP, Gold Glove, three Silver Sluggers and eight All-Star Game selections.
He has once again been impressive for the Dodgers this season with a .292/.391/.488 slash line, 17 home runs and 72 RBI. If he returns in time and adds 28 RBI down the stretch run, it will mark the third straight season that he reaches the 100-RBI mark.
As for Muncy, the Dodgers placed him on the injured list in May with a right oblique strain. He hasn't appeared in a game since May 15 and is slashing just .223/.323/.475 with nine home runs and 28 RBI in 40 games.
Still, he is a proven veteran with a World Series crown and two All-Star selections to his name. He can also provide power to the lineup and fill in as needed until Freeman is ready to return.
