Roberts 'expecting' Freeman for G1 despite ankle
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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Freddie Freeman is still hobbled by the sprained right ankle he suffered on Sept. 26, but Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seemingly doesn’t have any doubt about his availability for Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday.
“I’m expecting him to be in the lineup,” Roberts said before Friday’s pre-NLDS workout. “What that looks like, I guess we’ll know when we see him out there. But with Freddie, I don’t doubt that he’ll be ready to go.”
Freeman took at-bats in an intrasquad scrimmage at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. Although he did not run the bases or play defense, Roberts called it “a good step forward.”
On Friday, Freeman took a handful of ground balls at first base and briefly ran the bases, including a near sprint from first to third. Freeman was visibly still favoring his tender ankle but said, “I’m good,” as he passed reporters on his way back to the clubhouse.
Given Shohei Ohtani‘s presence at designated hitter, Freeman has to play the field in order to take part in this series. If he can’t go, the Dodgers would move Max Muncy from third to first base and start Enrique Hernandez at Muncy’s original position.
But that doesn’t seem to be an option at the moment.
“I really don’t want to let my mind go there,” Roberts said.
