Freddie Freeman is heading into October with a much clearer read on his body than he had a few days ago.
The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman said Tuesday that the knee pain that bothered him late in the season has eased up, and right now he’s feeling good. “no pain in my knee right now.”
That’s a welcome update for a Dodgers team that earned a bye in the Wild Card round, giving Freeman and the rest of the roster five days without games. Freeman said he’s using that stretch for “mental rest,” but he’s also making sure his work doesn’t stop while the calendar turns toward the postseason.
He’s already planning changes at the plate this week. Freeman said he’s taking a close look at his swing and trying to get back on track in October. “I’ll be hitting BP every day” and has a plan in place to get himself dangerous again when the games matter most.
The timing matters because Freeman’s September was a rough one by his standards. According to ESPN, he hit .184/.259/.224 last month after a strong summer. His numbers in June were much more Freeman-like, when he slashed .337/.425/.548/.973, and he followed that with a hot July, hitting .348/.384/.467/.851.
Even with that late-season dip, Freeman isn’t approaching this month with doubt. He said that in October 2024, he felt “probably 100 times worse,” which is why he believes he can sort things out again now. “I have all the confidence in myself that I will figure it out by Saturday,” he said.
He also brushed aside the noise around a possible third straight title, saying he’s “personally not thinking about” that. His focus is narrower than that: who the Dodgers will play, and how they’ll beat them.
“I think if you think big picture in this moment, you’re going to lose you lose sight of some things,” he said. “You just got to take each day one at one day at a time. And we do understand the bigger picture, but if you’re looking at the bigger picture, the you won’t be able to get to that big picture if you’re not focusing on the now.”
For Freeman, and for the Dodgers, the message is pretty clear: stay in the moment, get the work done, and be ready when Saturday arrives.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Reopened A Big Playoff Door For Hyeseong Kim
Hyeseong Kim is back with the Dodgers at just the right time, as the club re-evaluates its mix ahead of the NLDS. The recall gives Los Angeles another look at an infielder whose defensive range and speed have long stood out to Dave Roberts, especially with roster decisions tightening and every bench spot carrying extra weight in October.
Offense is still the piece that has to catch up if Kim is going to force his way onto the playoff roster, and Roberts has made clear the bat needs to be more consistent. Kim is in the mix with other infield options such as Alex Call, which leaves the Dodgers with a familiar postseason question: how much do they value versatility and athleticism if the production at the plate is still a work in progress? [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face Two Crucial NLDS Questions During Bye Week
The Dodgers get to spend their bye week in a familiar place for October, balancing rest with roster decisions while they wait to find out who they will see in the National League Division Series. The pause also gives the club a chance to keep sorting through its options, with young outfielder Josue De Paula and utility player Hyeseong Kim both in the conversation as possible postseason contributors.
Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman add a different kind of intrigue to the week, since both are reportedly feeling physically ready for the postseason. Ohtani is concentrating on his swing, while Freeman is coming back from knee tendonitis, and the Dodgers still have to decide how all of that fits together as they shape the roster and settle the last few questions before the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Are Already Shaping A Phillies NLDS Problem
The Dodgers are in wait-and-see mode as they prepare for the National League Division Series, with the winner of the Braves-Phillies wild-card matchup set to decide who lines up against them next. Dave Roberts has not yet named his starting pitchers, but hes already sketching out how Los Angeles could piece together its rotation depending on how the series unfolds, with Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal all part of the conversation.
For the Dodgers, the bigger picture is less about the unknown opponent than the confidence in their own staff. Players have spoken openly about trusting the starting pitching group as October gets going, and that belief matters when a club is trying to map out a short series against a team still fighting to advance. The next move may depend on how quickly the wild-card round ends, but the Dodgers are clearly bracing for a pitching plan that could shape the matchup from the start. [Read more 🡒]