Will Freddie Freeman play in Game 4 Dodgers vs. Mets? Dave Roberts answers

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is expected to play in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday, according to manager Dave Roberts.

“Freddie is fine. Freddie’s fine,” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 8-0 win in Game 3. “I think we got through it. And I expect he will be there tomorrow.”

Freeman has been battling a high ankle sprain in his right foot since late September. It’s not an ideal situation, but Freeman has refused to let his injury stop him from helping his team.

If Freeman had to leave the game, the Dodgers typically put Max Muncy first and Kiké Hernández third in his absence.

However, for much of the NLDS and now the NLCS, the first baseman insists on being in the lineup. Freeman undergoes hours of therapy to play with his sprained ankle. He usually arrives at the stadium six hours before the game to prepare his ankle.

“I just don’t see a world where he doesn’t start a game in the NLCS,” Roberts said before Game 3.

Freeman’s teammates did everything they could to protect the All-Star during the game. In Game 1 of the NLCS, Mookie Betts caught Freeman in his arms as the lumbering first baseman hobbled toward home plate.

The two MVPs’ embrace was a testament to the team’s camaraderie.

“I’m only 170 pounds and he’s a big guy who’s about to collapse,” Betts said after Game 1. “Luckily I lift weights, so I was able to hold him.”

Before the NLDS, the first baseman revealed that his right ankle sprain would normally put him on a four- to six-week injury list. He took a week off before Game 1 of the NLDS against the Padres.

“He’s sacrificing his body right now,” Roberts said. “He does a lot of things that people don’t know about to stay on the field.”

One of the Dodgers’ ongoing problems this season is the unprecedented number of injuries. The Dodgers’ pitching staff was considered the hole in the Dodgers’ postseason efforts, but the Los Angeles pitchers tied the MLB postseason record for consecutive scoreless innings.

The Dodgers also have four shutout wins in their last five games. Injuries have certainly forced the Dodgers to adapt, but players like Freeman have proven the resilience of the clubhouse.

Photo credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

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