Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Monday that Freddie Freeman would again be out of the lineup as the veteran first baseman continues to grapple with a right knee injury. The ongoing issue has contributed to a significant slump at the plate and raised concerns as the team heads toward the postseason.
Freeman described his ailment as "patellar tendonitis," which has hampered his swing and led to him missing games on Wednesday and Friday. Despite a brief insistence that he felt better, Freeman had back-to-back 0-for-4 performances over the weekend and committed a crucial defensive error in Sunday's loss to the Miami Marlins.
"Just talking to him today, he said he felt good," Roberts said of Freeman. "Obviously, the swings don’t indicate that, don’t kind of validate that… The last week, it’s pretty obvious that he’s not himself in the box."
The team is not currently considering placing Freeman on the injured list. The 37-year-old slugger is hopeful that continued treatment and medication will help alleviate the problem in the final weeks of the regular season.
However, Freeman's health status adds to the Dodgers' mounting late-season challenges. On Sunday, with the Dodgers leading by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Freeman's range to his right on an infield grounder led to a misfired underhand flip back to first base. The errant throw allowed the batter to reach safely, a play that contributed to the Marlins' subsequent four-run rally that resulted in a walk-off victory.
Roberts specifically highlighted the play in his postgame assessment. "There’s a PFP that Freddie made an errant throw," he stated, adding, "He’s obviously not moving as well as he used to [on defense]."
Freeman is expected to rest on Monday with the hope that he will be ready to return to action on Tuesday. Despite his efforts to prepare, the growing concerns over his health persist, leaving the Dodgers with a significant question mark just three weeks before the start of the playoffs.