Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is out of the lineup for his team’s Monday night game against the Atlanta Braves, Freeman’s former team, after aggravating his surgically repaired right ankle.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that the injury was the result of “mishap” while stepping into the shower and that Freeman is day to day. Instead, Enrique Hernández is in Roberts’ Monday lineup at first base.
Freeman initially suffered an ankle injury in late September of last year and missed the final three games of the regular season. However, he played through the discomfort in the playoffs and went on to win the World Series MVP award. In December, he underwent surgery on that hobbled right ankle, which consisted of debridement and the removal of loose bodies. He recovered as anticipated and enjoyed a solid showing during Cactus League play in spring training. The 35-year-old Freeman was also producing at a high level early in the regular season, as he boasts a slash line of .250/.250/.833 with two home runs in three games played.
The hope, of course, is that the mishap does not derail what otherwise had been an uneventful recovery for Freeman. That it’s day to day at present is an encouraging sign.
As for the reigning champion Dodgers, they enter the three-game set against the Braves with an MLB-best 5-0 record on the young season. The Braves, meanwhile, were on the losing end of a four-game sweep from the San Diego Padres to open their season.
