Freddie Freeman, the first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, will not be playing in the Opening Day game as he is still recovering from right ankle surgery. The 35-year-old underwent surgery in December 2024 to cure an injury sustained through a sprain he sustained late last season. There had been hopes that he would make it back in time for the Chicago Cubs' Tokyo Series on March 18 and 19, but his rehab has not progressed as quickly as anyone would have liked.
Injury History and Surgery
He sprained his ankle on September 25, 2024, so he really only missed the last three games of the regular season. However, Freeman willed himself through the postseason while the Dodgers celebrated their World Series championship. He recorded a .300 batting average, four home runs, and 12 RBIs in five games and took home World Series MVP honors. Freeman then underwent surgery in December to address the problem once and for all. The procedure took place at the Clinic performing debridement of the right ankle and pulling out a couple of loose bodies; it was conducted by Dr. Kenneth Jung in Los Angeles.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Freeman was looking after surgery as a bit slow to get back and play baseball activities. In late January, Freeman resumed some hitting, but was yet not cleared to run. He was still optimistic at the turn of time to be fully involved in spring training and ready for the Tokyo opener. However, this appears to be lagging even more than was expected. Manager Dave Roberts assesses that, well, Freeman has made some progress, yet he is still not really at this point participating in running or full team activities. Not overly optimistic, but no real timetable was set.
Impact on the Dodgers' Lineup
It is a huge loss for the Dodgers on Opening Day due to the absence of one individual known for his batting consistency and offensive fireworks, standing third in a lineup set to produce maximum runs right behind such greats as Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Now, the Dodgers have to work around the loss of Freeman, hoping that others would step up on the offensive side. There are enough players position-wise on the team, which makes this huge for replacing the leadership and production of Freeman.
Looking Ahead
Although it is a disappointment, the main goal right now is not getting him to the opener, and rather just to complete his recovery without any other fallouts from that. This gentleman's case has yet to pin down any specific timeline, as the conservative view is taken in such a case. It would not be too much to ask that Freeman get ready before too long, as his teammates and the fans know he is truly an integral part of the success of this team. Thus, managing his return through the season becomes just that much more vital for the hopes of the Dodgers in defending their title as World Series champions.
While the Dodgers will open the season in Tokyo without their star first baseman, they will aim to put their best foot forward in spite of such adversity. The team's depth and resilience will truly be tested in the early part of the season without one of their key contributors.
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