Is Freddie Freeman playing in NLDS Game 1? Dodgers first baseman slated to return from ankle sprain vs. Padres

David Suggs

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Is Freddie Freeman playing in NLDS Game 1? Dodgers first baseman slated to return from ankle sprain vs. Padres image

The Dodgers have composed a murderers' row of sorts within their lineup in 2024, pairing a trio of MVPs with an All-Star-level entourage to surge to the top of the National League standings.

Shohei Ohtani rightfully receives many of the headlines related to Dave Roberts' side. But he's not the only left-handed batter who strikes a harrowing figure at the plate.

Freddie Freeman is baseball's best first baseman, a mystifying blend of power, plate discipline and contact skills who can prove haunting to opposition pitchers. He's struggled with his health as of late. But when he plays, he produces. For a Los Angeles side with World Series aspirations, that's vital.

The Dodgers formally kick off their Fall Classic run with a Game 1 clash with divisional rivals San Diego in the NLDS. Here's what you need to know about Freeman's status for Saturday night's contest.

LIVE: Updates, highlights from Dodgers-Padres Game 1

Is Freddie Freeman playing in NLDS Game 1?

Freeman will take part in Game 1 of the Dodgers-Padres NLDS series. The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya was the first to report that Freeman is set to feature Roberts' lineup against the Friars. Los Angeles confirmed his place in the starting nine shortly thereafter.

Freeman was considered a game-time decision for the contest, having missed out on the end of the regular season with injury. The perilous nature of Freeman's status was most apparent an hour or so before Los Angeles released its lineup; Ardaya reported that third baseman Max Muncy was warming up with a first baseman glove.

In the end, Freeman made it through warmups unscathed. He figures to add some liveliness to a collection of Dodgers bats already teeming with it — Freeman posted an .854 OPS across 638 plate appearances in 2024.

MORE: Breaking down Shohei Ohtani's contract with New Balance

Freddie Freeman injury update

Freeman has been absent from Los Angeles' lineup since Sept. 26, when he rolled his ankle while attempting to beat out a throw at first base.

Freeman was diagnosed with a sprained ankle and has been undergoing treatment for his ailment over the course of the past week. The 2020 NL MVP spent much of the Dodgers' bye week testing out his ankle in a number of different scenarios.

Freeman's sprain is fairly severe. In normal circumstances, it would keep players out for far longer than a week.

"They told me this is a 4-6 week IL stint, and I'm going to try to do this in a week and play," Freeman said Friday, per CBS Sports' Mike Axisa.

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Freddie Freeman stats

Freeman put forth another impressive campaign, finishing the season with 22 homers, 89 RBIs and a .282/.378/.476 slash line. He wasn't quite an MVP candidate this time around. But Freeman added another All-Star Game nod to his glimmering collection — the eighth of his career.

Here's a closer look at Freeman's numbers during the 2024 regular season:

GamesAVGHRRBIBBOPSOPS+
147.282228978.854143

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.