Freddie Freeman prides himself on his durability; the Dodgers first baseman has played all 162 games twice and 157 games or more six other times, a determination that has seen him endure numerous injuries during his 15-year career, including a broken right hand. middle finger in August.
But Freeman has never suffered an injury as serious as the right ankle sprain he will try to play with when the Dodgers open the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night in Chavez Ravine.
“They told me this is a four to six week period [injured list] stint, and I’m going to try to do this and play in a week,” said Freeman, who suffered the injury while trying to avoid a tag while hitting a grounder in the divisional win over the Padres on Sept. 26. “I’m not going to hinder, I don’t think.
“There are certain plays, like slowing down and stuff… I can’t thank it [physical therapist] Bernard Li [enough]our entire training staff for making it possible for me to do this. I’ve never sprained an ankle, and they say your first ankle sprain is the worst.”
Read more: Hernández: Dodgers have the same problem that derailed their last two playoff appearances
Freeman was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice, but he 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 treatments, a lot of time in the training room,” Freeman said, when asked what his final week looked like. “The swelling has gone down a lot, so I feel good. Good enough. I’m sure you’ll be watching me, the slower part of running will be [tough]. But overall I felt much better today 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 toughest move on the field so far was hitting the bag with his right foot while running the bases.
“If I can hit the bag with my left foot, maybe [it wouldn’t be as bad]”, says Vrijman. “But I think whatever is going to happen will happen in the match. I feel stable enough to hit. I tried to push off as hard as I could [with my right foot] when covering first base in those drills. And I felt good enough.”
Not playing in this best-of-five series doesn’t appear to be an option for Freeman, who started answering a question before a reporter could ask him how he will know if the injury is too bothersome for him to continue.
“It doesn’t matter,” Freeman said. “[Saturday]what difference does it make? No one has to worry about me bothering them [the team] or something like that. We just have to win ball games, and that’s my focus [on Saturday].”
As difficult as it will be to overcome the ankle sprain, it is just the latest obstacle in a difficult season for Freeman, who missed eight games in late July and early August to be with his three-year-old son Maximus, who is still recovering from a life-threatening attack with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.
Read more: After recent skirmishes in October, Dodgers ‘want to be the ones attacking opposing pitchers’
“The second half [of the season] It was a challenge. I think everyone here knows it’s been a lot,” Freeman said. “Sometimes you get injured, like I sprained my ankle and had to stay home for three days and be treated here five hours a day.
“But now that I can put the children to bed and see Max walking, things are going so much better. It’s been a challenge…injuries you didn’t think would happen, but they happen. Every year is different. You just have to accept it in moderation. But we’re still here. We have Game 1 of the playoffs, smile on your face, everything is fine.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
