2024 NLDS: Optimism continues to surround Freeman and Rojas
by Cary Osborne
The Dodgers’ celebration spilled onto the field late after they clinched the National League West title last Thursday.
There, wearing a smile and walking boot, stood Freddie Freeman.
Freeman twisted his right ankle trying to avoid a tag in the seventh inning and was helped off the field.
After the game, he said he was optimistic that he would be ready for Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Now, three days away from it, the Dodgers still hold optimism that one of the elite hitters in the game will be in the lineup against either the Padres or the Braves.
“Indications are that it’s a little bit better than it was a couple days ago, but it’s just hard to see a world where it’s not limiting as far as on the bases — the lateral (movement),” said manager Dave Roberts. “So right now, I’m just going to remain optimistic, and then when we get to Friday, and then obviously Saturday, then we’ll kind of make decisions on how he’s used as far as in the game. But I still have all confidence that he’s going to be in the starting lineup.”
Freeman, Roberts said, hit on Tuesday and is expected to do that again on Wednesday. The hope is for him to face live pitching on Friday.
It’s a similar track for Miguel Rojas, who missed the final four games of the regular season with an adductor muscle tear. Rojas has been playing on the injury for much of the season — the best offensive 162-game of his career.
Both players are important figures in the lineup — one Roberts puts in very high regard.
“I would say this lineup is probably the best we’ve had,” Roberts said. “Given that everyone’s healthy, and we obviously got to see Freddie come back and Miggy coming back, but I think when everyone’s right, I think we’re very good versus left versus right. There’s an on-base, there’s a slug component, there’s a bat-to-ball component. So I think that it’s very well-balanced and probably our best.”
Much was made of the Dodgers’ offensive struggles in the 2023 National League Division Series. The memory remains a year later.
The Dodgers scored six runs — two in each game — and were swept by Arizona. Mookie Betts and Freeman were a combined 1-for-21. Eight of the Dodgers’ 17 hits in the series came off the bats of Will Smith and Kiké Hernández.
The hope is Shohei Ohtani at the top of the lineup will create a ripple effect a different result.
“I still expect Mookie and Freddie to be the guys that they are and have shown in past postseason. If we can get those guys and the rest of the lineup doing what they’re capable of, I just don’t think we can be beat,” Roberts said.
On the starting pitching side, the Dodgers will go with Jack Flaherty as the starter on Saturday in Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2.
Roberts said before the regular season ended that veteran Walker Buehler and rookie Landon Knack will be starting options, as well.
The Dodgers still have some time to shape their roster, which could be impacted by the opponent — the Padres or Braves.
Clayton Kershaw, whose left big toe injury kept him out all September, hasn’t faced hitters and isn’t closer to facing hitters said Brandon Gomes, Dodgers executive vice president and general manager. Tony Gonsolin missed the Major League regular season recovering from 2023 Tommy John surgery but made three Minor League rehab appearances in September. It’s a mystery now if he’ll be an option for the NLDS.
“I think so much of it is seeing how those guys continue to progress. And then do we see an acute need on our staff?” Gomes said. “It’s a really, really talented group of pitchers. And then we’ll see how things play out as far as health and performance when they’re (Kershaw and Gonsolin are) out there throwing. So a lot of lot of good options. And I think it’s going to be a fluid situation.”
One pitching situation closer to a certainty is Ohtani the pitcher.
“I think it’s no different than before. We don’t anticipate him pitching in the postseason,” Gomes said.
Optimism continues to surround Freeman and Rojas was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.