The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without Freddie Freeman for Monday’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, manager Dave Roberts announced, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
September has not been too kind to Freeman, who is batting just .100 with three hits and one home run. In his last seven games, he is 1-for-26. Freeman has even struggled at first, where, during Sunday’s 6-4 loss to the Miami Marlins, a throwing error in the ninth helped fuel Miami’s walk-off rally.
The 37-year-old has been managing knee soreness on and off since late July, and Roberts has periodically given him days off to manage it, with Freeman missing two full games last week before returning to the lineup Saturday.
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Plunkett said Roberts gave Freeman the day off on Monday, adding that the first baseman hasn’t looked like himself with his swing or on defense.
The Dodgers have a comfortable nine-game lead in the National League West with a magic number of four, with a couple of weeks left to go to get Freeman right before October. Fortunately, the lead gives Roberts room to be cautious with his first baseman rather than push him through a slump that looks connected to the knee.
The three-time World Series champion and 2024 World Series MVP will need to get closer to full strength soon if the Dodgers are going to make another deep postseason run to get their third-straight World Series championship.
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