In a move that most Dodgers fans have been expecting, the team announced on Thursday that eight-time All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman has been placed on the 10-day injured list after injuring his surgically repaired right ankle in a slip in his shower at home on March 31.
That’s the bad news.
The (sort of) good news is the the move is retroactive to that date, which means that Freeman is eligible to return from the IL on April 10, although this seems unlikely, with his team currently enjoying an MLB-best (and MLB record-setting) 8-0 start to the 2025 regular season. As such, there is certainly no reason to rush the 35-year-old Villa Park, CA native, two-time World Series Champion, three-time Silver Slugger, Gold Glove winner, and former MLB and World Series MVP back into action until he is completely healed.
(Luke Hales – Getty Images)
Although not the .250/.250/.833/.1.083 slash line with two home runs and four RBIs Freeman has in the the three games (12 at-bats) he appeared in before his injury, popular Dodgers utility infielder/outfielder Kiké Hernández, who has been filling in for Freddie at first base, is slashing .105/.100/.421/.521. He does, however, also have two home runs and four RBIs in his five games (19 at-bats) thus far, so there’s that.
(SportsNet LA)
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy can also play first base, although he has yet to do so since Freeman’s injury.
As of this writing, the Dodgers have not yet named a roster replacement for Freeman, but will certainly do so before the first pitch of Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, which has a 3:45 PM PDT scheduled start time.
Play Ball!
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UPDATE:
On Friday morning the Dodgers announced that they had recalled catcher Hunter Feduccia from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where the left-handed hitting/right-handed throwing catcher is currently slashing .357/.526/.643/1.169 with one home run and four RBIs in his five games (19 ABs) played.
In the five games (12 ABs) Feduccia appeared with the Big club in 2024, the Lake Charles, LA native and Dodgers 12th-round draft pick in 2018 out of LSU went 4-for-12 (.333 – all singles) with one RBI.
This announcemnt suggests that Dodgers catcher Will Smith may be Freeman’s temporary replacement at first base. In his five seasons with the Dodgers, Smith played first base once, that in 2021, where he made one put out in one chance for a 1,000% fielding percentage.
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