TOKYO — First baseman Freddie Freeman was not within the lineup for Wednesday’s second recreation of the Tokyo Collection due to left rib discomfort that additionally value him the Dodgers’ season opener in opposition to the Cubs.
Freeman stated Tuesday that he thought he had a superb probability of taking part in Wednesday. The Dodgers beforehand stated that if Freeman could not, he would seemingly endure imaging on his rib.
However in his pregame information convention on Wednesday, supervisor Dave Roberts sounded optimistic that Freeman can be out there for the Freeway Collection in opposition to the Angels starting on Sunday.
“He lobbied exhausting, like he all the time does,” Roberts stated. “He desires to play day by day. He form of ready to play, however finally conceded to myself and the coaching workers. It is simply too early within the season to doubtlessly put him in hurt’s approach. He feels a lot better than he did yesterday. My expectation is that he’ll be good to go for the Freeway Collection.”
Freeman performed by damaged cartilage — primarily a damaged rib, he stated — final postseason, which he beforehand thought had gotten higher with relaxation. He did not really feel any latest discomfort within the space earlier than Tuesday, when he felt it throughout his final spherical of batting apply within the “similar precise” spot as final yr.
“Not as extreme,” Roberts stated on Tuesday. “I believed we made the suitable resolution not taking part in him tonight, and we’ll see how he is available in tomorrow. So proper now, I am not too involved.”
Though he characteristically needed to play by it, Freeman was held out of the lineup as a precaution.
“It was most likely sensible,” Freeman stated on Tuesday. “Clearly, approach higher than final yr. Final yr, I wanted assist attending to my automotive that first day. I can stroll. I can take deep breaths. Simply felt a bit of one thing in my rib, and with it being the primary recreation, we didn’t need it to be one thing lingering.”
Head crew doctor Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who’s on the Tokyo Collection, informed him that it may doubtlessly be scar tissue from therapeutic.
Freeman performed in each of the Dodgers’ Tokyo Dome exhibition video games in opposition to the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers. He performed first base in these video games and received six at-bats between the 2 video games.
