Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has been removed from Game 2 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, according to Kirsten Watson of the Dodgers.
The Dodgers announced that the reason Freddie Freeman left the game against the Padres was because he has right ankle discomfort. Freeman was taken out of the game in the top of the sixth inning, with Max Muncy moving to first base and Kike Hernandez coming into the game at third base.
This is obviously a big blow for the Dodgers, as they are trailing the Padres in the game, and if it impacts Freeman's availability going forward, that takes one of their best hitters out of the lineup in a series that could go either way.
The Dodgers' trio formed with Freeman, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts is a big reason why many believe the team can contend to win the World Series this October.
It was known that Freeman had been playing with an ankle injury during Game 1, and it seems as if it got to the point where he felt he could not play for the rest of Game 2. It will be worth monitoring for postgame comments from both Freeman and his manager, Dave Roberts when it comes to the first baseman's availability for Game 3 as the series shifts to San Diego.
Dodgers' outlook with Freddie Freeman's injury
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If the score holds, the Dodgers will head on the road for Game 3 against the Padres with the series tied at 1-1. It is not a given, as the Dodgers came back to win Game 1, but Freeman's absence certainly lowers the odds of a comeback. If Los Angeles does lose Game 2, it will be the exact way the 2022 series between these two teams started.
In 2022, the Dodgers won Game 1, then the Padres stole home field advantage by winning Game 2 at Dodger Stadium. San Diego then won the two home games in Games 3 and 4 to seal the series. This time around, Los Angeles will look to win at least one game on the road in a hostile environment. This was viewed as a very close series between two teams who have legitimate World Series hopes. Freeman's injury could be something that swings the series in the Padres' way.
The Dodgers will have a day off on Monday before heading to San Diego for Game 3 on Tuesday. That could give Freeman enough time to rest his ankle to be ready to go by then.
