Freddie Freeman prides itself on its durability, Dodgers The first baseman has played in all 162 games twice and 157 games or more on six other occasions, a determination that has required him to play through numerous injuries throughout his 15-year career, including a broken right middle finger in August. .
But Freeman has never battled an injury as serious as the sprained right ankle he will try to play with when the Dodgers open the championship. National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres in Chavez Ravine on Saturday night.
“They told me this is a four- to six-week period (on the DL) and I’m going to try to get it done in a week and play,” said Freeman, who suffered the injury while trying to avoid a tag while missing a ground ball on Sunday. September 26 victory that secured the division about the Fathers. “I’m not going to get in the way, I don’t think so.
“There are certain plays, like slowing down and stuff… I can’t thank (physical therapist) Bernard Li, our entire training staff, enough for allowing me to do this. “I have never sprained an ankle and they say the first sprained ankle is the worst.”
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Freeman participated on a limited basis in Thursday’s practice, but fielded ground balls and threw to second base, ran the bases and took batting practice on the field during Friday’s practice. Manager Dave Roberts said he was “hopeful” Freeman would be in the lineup for Game 1, but a final decision won’t be made until Saturday.
“A lot of treatment, a lot of time in the training room,” Freeman said, when asked what his last week was like. “The swelling has gone down a lot, so I feel good. Pretty good. I’m sure you’ll be watching, the deceleration part of the race is going to be (difficult). But overall, today I felt much better than the last few days.”
Freeman, who hit .282 with an .854 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 22 home runs, 35 doubles and 89 RBIs in 147 games this season, said the hardest move in the field so far has been tapping the bag with his foot. right while running the bases.
“If I can hit the bag with my left foot, maybe (it wouldn’t be so bad),” Freeman said. “But I think in the game, anything will happen. I feel stable enough to hit. I tried to push as hard as I could (with my right foot) to cover first base in those drills. And I felt good enough.”
Not playing in this best-of-five series does not appear to be an option for Freeman, who began answering a question before a reporter finished asking him how he will know if the injury prevents him from continuing.
“It doesn’t matter,” Freeman said. “(Saturday), who cares? Nobody is going to worry about me getting in the way (the team) or anything like that. We just have to win games and that’s my focus (Saturday).”
As difficult as it is to overcome the sprained ankle, it is just the latest hurdle in a difficult season for Freeman, who missed eight games in late July and early August to be with his 3-year-old son, Maximus, who is still recovering from a Life-threatening attack against Guillain-Barré syndromea rare neurological condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.
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“The second half (of the season) has been a challenge; I think everyone here knows that, it’s been a lot,” Freeman said. “Sometimes you get hurt, like when I sprained my ankle and I had to stay home for those three days and I was here five hours a day getting treatment.
“But being able to put the kids to bed and see Max walk now, things are a lot better. It’s been challenging…injuries that you just didn’t think would happen, but they happen. Every year is different. You just have to take it easy. But we are still here. We have Game 1 of the playoffs, smile, everything is good.”
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This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.