As he hobbled across the field at Dodger Stadium to talk to reporters on Thursday night, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman wore three notable things.
A walking boot. A National League West championship T-shirt. And, most importantly in the wake of his ankle injury in that night’s division-clinching win, a relieved and grateful smile.
“It’s like a grapefruit,” Freeman said of the swelling in his sprained, but not broken, right ankle. “But they’re pretty optimistic that I should be able to go by Saturday in the playoffs. That’s what I’m banking on.”
A day later, the Dodgers seemed confident in that possibility, as well.
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When the team filed out of its Champagne-soaked clubhouse Thursday and headed to the airport for a late-night flight to Denver, where they opened their series against the Colorado Rockies with a 11-4 win Friday, Freeman stayed back in Southern California.
Even though postgame X-rays on his ankle were negative, he and the team decided it wouldn’t be wise to subject him to two flights for a series he probably wouldn’t have played in anyway.
Instead, Freeman will remain in the Southland this weekend, getting treatment on his injury in hopes of being ready for the start of the National League Division Series next Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
“Obviously it’s really, really swollen, but they said once they get the fluid out, I should be able to go by Saturday,” said Freeman, who used crutches during the Dodgers’ clubhouse celebration but was walking with just the boot later in the night.
“Fortunately enough, we have some time off now to heal this thing,” he added. “I’m optimistic.”
Manager Dave Roberts took that optimism one step further on Friday, saying that he can’t “see any world” where Freeman isn’t in the lineup for the start of the postseason.
“He’s just such a warrior,” Roberts said. “And he’s gonna do anything he can to post.”
Freeman’s sprained ankle served as the latest hardship in what has been an arduous season for the 35-year-old slugger.
On…