Freddie Freeman says the scare is behind him.
The Dodgers first baseman, who took a hard tumble last week while chasing an infield fly ball against the Kansas City Royals and ended up in the visitor’s dugout, told Dodgers sideline reporter David Vassegh ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies that he has fully recovered. Freeman had stayed in to finish the inning before coming out later in the game, and manager Dave Roberts said afterward that he was dealing with overall body soreness.
Los Angeles gave Freeman a night off during its four-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers so he could rest and recover, and the update Monday was the one the Dodgers wanted to hear: nothing lingering, nothing to worry about moving forward.
That’s good news for a team that needs him every night. Freeman is in year five of his six-year, $162 million deal, and at age 36 he’s still producing like a centerpiece. He’s hitting .298 with a .373 on-base percentage and an .834 OPS, along with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs in 456 at-bats.
The Dodgers’ offense has been uneven in the second half, but Freeman has remained steady throughout. His first-half work earned him his 10th career All-Star selection this year, a reminder that he’s still driving the middle of the order.
Now the focus shifts to Coors Field, where Los Angeles is trying to snap a two-game road losing streak. For the Dodgers, keeping Freeman healthy and available is a big part of that push, and for now it looks like they’ve cleared that hurdle.
In Other News...
Rockies Just Made A Telling Move After One Veterans Rough Season
The Rockies reshuffled their pitching staff Monday by recalling right-hander TJ Shook from Triple-A Albuquerque and parting ways with veteran Michael Lorenzen. It was a move that reflected how far Lorenzen had drifted from the role Colorado hoped he could fill after a rough season in which run prevention was a constant problem.
Lorenzen is now headed to waivers, leaving his next step uncertain while Colorado absorbs the shift on the roster and the payroll. Even if another club decides to take a chance on him, the Rockies would still be on the hook for the rest of his salary, a reminder that the cost of a disappointing season does not always end when the player leaves the active roster. [Read more 🡒]
Hunter Goodman Concern Keeps Growing For Rockies Lineup
Hunter Goodman was penciled into the Rockies starting lineup for their game against the Dodgers, then pulled at the last minute because of a shoulder issue that has become an increasingly awkward complication for Colorados everyday plans. Brett Sullivan slid in behind the plate in Goodmans place, another reminder that the Rockies are having to adjust on the fly while trying to keep their lineup intact.
The club is still treating Goodman as day-to-day, which leaves the situation hanging for now and makes his status one of the more closely watched items around the roster. Colorado also reshuffled its pitching staff in the same stretch, designating Michael Lorenzen for assignment, recalling TJ Shook and lining up Tanner Gordon to take Lorenzens rotation spot, but Goodmans availability may be the piece that has the most immediate impact on how the lineup looks game to game. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Keep Letting Winnable Games Slip Away For One Painful Reason
The Rockies keep finding themselves in games that feel there for the taking, only to watch them tilt the wrong way late. A season defined by close margins has included 31 losses decided by two runs or less, a number that says as much about missed opportunities as it does about the teams overall talent level. When a club is hanging around in so many tight contests, the little things in the final innings start to loom large.
Colorado has already had bullpen moments turn into the difference between a win and another frustrating defeat, including losses attached to Antonio Senzatela and Juan Mejia. Until the pitching stabilizes, especially in those high-leverage spots, the Rockies will keep paying for every shaky inning. If they want any realistic shot at playing meaningful baseball deeper into the season, they have to start closing out the kind of games they keep letting slip away. [Read more 🡒]