Freddie Freeman is helped off the field after suffering an ankle sprain against the San Diego Padres on Sept. 26.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
The Dodgers are remaining optimistic that Freddie Freeman (sprained ankle) and Miguel Rojas (adductor tear) will be ready for Game 1 of the NLDS.
Based on Thursday’s team workout, however, Rojas seems like the much safer bet.
After missing the final four games of the regular season, during which time he got an injection to help ease the pain of an injury that bothered him throughout the final month, Rojas was a full participant in Thursday’s activities. He joined the team in base-running drills. He took grounders on the infield. And he played in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage.
“Miggy looks really good,” Friedman said. “I think the time off has really helped him.”
Rojas said he feels “kind of the same that I felt in September” but remained confident that he’ll be able to play through it during the postseason.
“Trying to do the best I can to take care of myself off the field so I can be playing in these games,” Rojas said.
Forty-eight hours out from Game 1, Freeman looked like a much bigger question mark.
The first baseman did not speak with reporters Thursday or participate in any of the team’s pre-scrimmage drills on the field. Freeman did take live at-bats in the scrimmage but appeared to still be walking gingerly.
Freeman also didn’t play in the field during the scrimmage, with Max Muncy at first base instead. Manager Dave Roberts said last week that Muncy would probably play first against the Padres (with Kiké Hernández at third base) if Freeman is unable to go.
Friedman did say that Freeman took swings in the batting cage before the scrimmage and that his ankle “has gotten progressively better” every day since he twisted it trying to beat out a grounder at first base last Thursday.
However, Friedman also acknowledged that “today will be a big test” as it pertains to Freeman’s Game 1 status.
“It’s hard because any time you talk to him about it, he’s like, ‘I’m good, I’ll be good,’” Friedman said. “But it was a real sprain.”
Even if Freeman isn’t ready for Game 1, Friedman said they will still carry the eight-time All-Star on their NLDS roster, remaining confident that Freeman — whose ankle would probably pose a bigger limitation defensively and running the bases than with his swing — will be able to make an impact in the best-of-five series.
“Again, all of this, we’ll get a better feel for as he gets out there and does things,” Friedman said. “He’s of the mind that he’ll be good, and that’s just what his mindset is.”
