Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is getting a rest day Friday as the team opens a series against the Milwaukee Brewers, a move that comes two days after a frightening tumble into the opposing dugout.
Freeman had been in the starting lineup Thursday and appeared fine after the incident, but manager Dave Roberts and the veteran himself made clear the day off was planned following a leg tweak. The decision reflects the club’s careful approach with one of its most reliable hitters as the season heads into the final stretch.
On Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals, Freeman tracked a foul ball near the visiting dugout and lost his footing, tumbling down the stairs. Athletic trainer Greg Barajas and Roberts quickly checked on him, and the first baseman walked back under his own power. Still, the scare left enough concern that Friday became a scheduled break.
CBS Sports’ RotoWire described the situation this way: “Freeman was in Thursday’s lineup one day after falling into the Royals’ dugout during Wednesday’s game. He’ll get the day off for Friday’s series opener while Enrique Hernandez starts at first base and bats eighth.”
That assessment matches what the Dodgers have signaled. Hernandez slides into the first-base spot and hits eighth in a rearranged order that features Shohei Ohtani as the designated hitter, Andy Pages in center field, Teoscar Hernández in left, Mookie Betts at shortstop, Tommy Edman at second, Kyle Tucker in right, Max Muncy at third and Hunter Feduccia behind the plate. Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound for the home side.
Freeman rarely sits. At 36, he continues to produce at a high level and typically pushes to stay in the lineup whenever possible. Those close to the situation believe he may have preferred to play Friday but ultimately deferred to the team’s plan for a brief reset.
Through 448 at-bats this season, Freeman is hitting .305 with 15 home runs, 136 hits, 59 runs and 57 RBIs. He has also collected 27 doubles and posted an OPS+ of 135, numbers that place him among the more consistent offensive performers in the National League.
The Dodgers have leaned heavily on that production. Removing him even for one game forces adjustments up and down the order and places extra responsibility on Hernandez and the rest of the infield. Yet the club appears confident the absence will be short-lived and that Freeman will return Saturday if everything continues to feel normal.
Roberts has managed Freeman carefully in the past when minor issues arise, preferring to protect long-term availability over short-term lineup strength. That philosophy was on display again Friday after the dugout fall raised questions about the first baseman’s lower body.
Fans at Dodger Stadium will see a different look at first base, but the expectation around the clubhouse is that Freeman’s day off is precautionary rather than the start of a longer absence. He showed no obvious lingering effects Thursday, and the decision to sit him Friday was described by both the player and the manager as scheduled rest.
The Brewers arrive in town looking to take advantage of any offensive gaps, yet the Dodgers still field a formidable group even without their regular first baseman. Ohtani, Betts, Tucker and the rest of the regulars remain in place, giving the lineup plenty of firepower.
As the series unfolds, attention will stay on Freeman’s status. A quick return would ease any remaining worry about the Wednesday fall and keep the Dodgers’ lineup at full strength for the push toward October.
For now, the club is choosing caution, giving its veteran a night to recover fully from the awkward spill that briefly stopped play and sent trainers onto the field.
