All-Star Freddie Freeman Not Starting For Los Angeles Dodgers in NLCS Game 4

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has been battling right ankle discomfort all postseason, is not in the starting lineup against the New York Mets on Thursday.

Oct 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) runs after hitting a single in the first inning during game five of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

First baseman Freddie Freeman is not in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 4 of the NLCS against the New York Mets on Thursday night, the team has announced.

Freeman has been playing through right ankle discomfort all postseason, leaving Game 2 of the NLDS early with the ailment. While he returned to start Game 3 two days later, Freeman missed Game 4 entirely.

The injury stems back to Sept. 26, when Freeman suffered a bone bruise and ankle sprain that would have normally kept him sidelined for 4-for-6 weeks. The 2020 NL MVP decided to tough it out, though, and he has proceeded to hit .259 with zero home runs, one RBI, one walk and a .545 OPS in October.

Freeman missed 15 games this regular season, which marked his first time exceeding four absences since 2015. And while he still made his eighth career All-Star appearance, Freeman's 22 home runs, 89 RBI, .282 batting average, .854 OPS and 4.7 WAR made for arguably his worst stat line in a decade.

Manager Dave Roberts said at the beginning of the series that he expected Freeman to start every game in the NLCS, meaning the 35-year-old slugger may have suffered a setback of sorts. Freeman also hit just .250 with a .759 OPS against lefties this season – compared to his .300 batting average and .905 OPS against righties – so a matchup with veteran southpaw Jose Quintana might not have been favorable even looking past the injury.

With Freeman out, Max Muncy will slide over from third base to first base. Kiké Hernández is taking Muncy's spot at third. If Los Angeles wasn't facing a left-hander, Gavin Lux would start at second in place of Hernández, but Chris Taylor is getting the nod there instead.

Here is the Dodgers' full, reshuffled lineup for Game 4 on Thursday night:

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, RF
3. Teoscar Hernández, LF
4. Tommy Edman, SS
5. Kiké Hernández, 3B
6. Max Muncy, 3B
7. Will Smith, C
8. Andy Pages, CF
9. Chris Taylor, 2B
SP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP

Tonight's #NLCS Game 4 Dodgers lineup at Mets: pic.twitter.com/d5PXGya30P

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 17, 2024

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