Freddie Freeman injury: Dodgers 1B sprains ankle, won’t go to Colorado

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman sprained his ankle in the seventh inning of Thursday’s crucial division game and will not travel with the team to Colorado for the final weekend of the regular season.

Freeman fell to the ground, landed awkwardly on his right foot as he handed off the ball at first base, and rolled his ankle. He left the field with a noticeable limp and was substituted to defense at the start of the eighth inning.

“I’m not too worried about it. We’re going to be careful,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. “There is no reason to play him this weekend. We could potentially do it if we needed to. We don’t need it. We’ll make sure he’s rested and ready to go next Saturday.”

Freeman himself told reporters that the X-rays were negative.

The Dodgers won the National League West on Thursday and will be no worse than the No. 2 seed in the NL, meaning they get a bye after the wild-card round. Game 1 of the NL Division Series will take place on Saturday, October 5th.

“It’s swollen. He won’t go to Denver with us. We will keep him away from the heights. He’ll just make the effort and start moving. “I expect him to be ready for Game 1,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It was huge to say goodbye because it gives him seven or eight days to come back and be ready for the first round.”

Freeman doubled early in Thursday’s game for his 35th goal of the season. He finished the regular season hitting .282/.378/.476, a wRC+ of 137, 22 home runs, 89 RBI and 81 runs scored in 147 games. In his three years with the Dodgers, Freeman leads the majors in doubles (141), is second in hits (563) and is third in runs scored (291).