Dodgers' Freddie Freeman leaves Game 2 with ankle trouble

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman, who suffered a sprained right ankle Saturday night to star in the Los Angeles Dodgers' Game 1 victory, left Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday in the sixth inning with lingering discomfort in the ankle.

Freeman struck out sharply on his final at-bat and found himself on the receiving end of a routine groundout to shortstop in the previous inning. The fact that he played against the San Diego Padres at all was not a given; Freeman said this week that doctors had told him that his severe ankle sprain and bone bruise would typically put a player on the injured list for four to six weeks.

Accordingly The athleteFreeman Ken Rosenthal also struggled with discomfort in his side, with both injuries requiring injections to relieve pressure on his ankle and numb his side.

“Right ankle discomfort,” say the Dodgers. Which, well, yeah. https://t.co/F3OsyVUjq7

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 7, 2024

He performed admirably in Game 1, recording two hits and, to the surprise of manager Dave Roberts, stealing a base.

“I’m tired,” Freeman said Saturday night. “This week it is difficult to prepare for the game. We will start the process again tomorrow.”

Freeman went 0-2 with a strikeout on Sunday before Kiké Hernandez subbed in for the injured star. Max Muncy moved from third base to first base.

“I want to compete,” Freeman said after Saturday’s game. “When I’m out there, I don’t want to just be out there and have a body.”

Despite his performance the night before, concerns about his health did not subside. Freeman said he would get to the park early and repeat his pregame preparations in hopes of playing. As the game progressed on Sunday, it became clear that he could no longer keep up.

The 35-year-old has generally been one of the more durable players despite being in his mid-30s. He played 147 games this season. The last time he missed significant time was in 2017 due to a broken wrist.

(Saturday photo of Freddie Freeman: Icon Sportswire via Associated Press)