Freddie Freeman says his ankle sprain is the worst injury he has ever tried to overcome

Freddie Freeman prides himself on his endurance. The Dodgers first baseman has played all 162 games twice and 157 games or more another six times. That determination has led him to endure numerous injuries over the course of his 15-year career, including a broken right middle finger in August.

But Freeman has never dealt with an injury as serious as the right ankle sprain with which he will try to play in Saturday night's National League Division Series opener against the San Diego Padres at Chavez Ravine.

“They told me this is a four- to six-week stint (on the injured list) and I'm going to try to make it in a week and play,” said Freeman, who sustained the injury trying out , dodging a pass and letting a grounder run out in the decisive division win over the Padres on September 26th. “I won’t hinder myself, I don’t think.

“There are certain plays, like slowing down and stuff… I can't thank (physiotherapist) Bernard Li, our entire coaching staff enough for getting me to do that. I’ve never sprained an ankle and they say the first ankle sprain is the worst.”

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Freeman was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, but he hit ground balls and threw to second base, ran the bases and took batting practice on the field during Friday's practice. Manager Dave Roberts said he was “hopeful” Freeman would be in the lineup for Game 1, but a final decision wouldn't be made until Saturday.

“A lot of treatment, a lot of time in the training room,” Freeman said when asked what his final week looked like. “The swelling has gone down a lot, so I feel good. Good enough. I'm sure you'll be watching me, the slower part of the running will be (hard). But overall I felt much better today than I have in the last few days.”

Freeman, who posted a .282 batting average with an .854 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 22 home runs, 35 doubles and 89 RBIs in 147 games this season, said this is the hardest move on the field yet Hitting the sack with his right foot while running the bases.

“If I could hit the bag with my left foot, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad,” Freeman said. “But I think whatever happens will happen in the game. I feel stable enough to hit. I tried to push off as hard as possible (with my right foot) to cover first base during these drills. And I felt good enough.”

For Freeman, not taking part in this best-of-five series doesn't seem to be an option. Before a reporter could ask him how he would know if the injury was too debilitating to continue, he began answering a question.

“It doesn’t matter,” Freeman said. “(Saturday), who cares? Nobody will worry about me hindering (the team) or anything like that. We just have to win ballgames and that’s my focus (on Saturday).”

As tough as it will be to overcome the ankle sprain, it is just the latest obstacle in a difficult season for Freeman, who missed eight games in late July and early August to be with his 3-year-old son Maximus, who is still ill is recovering from a life-threatening bout of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves.

“The second half (of the season) was a challenge – I think everyone here knows it was a lot,” Freeman said. “Sometimes you get injured, for example I sprained my ankle and had to stay at home for three days and was here for five hours a day getting treatment.

“But when I put the kids to bed and see Max walking now, everything is much better. It's been a challenge…injuries that you just wouldn't have thought would happen, but they do happen. Every year is different. You just have to accept it calmly. But we are still here. We have Game 1 of the playoffs, smile on your face, everything is fine.”

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.