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Freddie Freeman Returns to Los Angeles Dodgers' Lineup For Game 5 of NLCS

The Los Angeles Dodgers won Game 4 of the NLCS without first baseman Freddie Freeman, who continued to battle an ankle injury, but he will return to action for Game 5 on Friday.

Sam Connon

Oct 13, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) reacts with right fielder Mookie Betts (50) after scoring against the New York Mets during the first inning in Game 1 of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium.
Oct 13, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) reacts with right fielder Mookie Betts (50) after scoring against the New York Mets during the first inning in Game 1 of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Freddie Freeman is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 5 of the NLCS against the New York Mets on Friday, the team has announced.

Freeman will bat fourth and start at first, per manager Dave Roberts' official lineup card. The 35-year-old slugger was absent from Game 4 on Thursday as he continued to deal with the bone bruise and ankle sprain that he suffered back on Sept. 26.

That marked the second game this postseason that Freeman has missed. However, as was the case when Freeman missed Game 4 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers emerged with a 10-2 victory on Thursday.

Mookie Betts picked up on the pattern, jokingly calling for Freeman to get benched on the FOX Sports postgame show Thursday night.

"This is the second game we've won without Freddie, so maybe Freddie needs to not play anymore," Betts said.

All kidding aside, Freeman hasn't exactly been himself this October. He has hit .259 with zero home runs, one RBI, one walk and a .545 OPS across 10 playoff games, all while playing through his ankle injury.

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.

Still, Freeman has championship pedigree on his side, having won a World Series ring with the Atlanta Braves in 2021. His treasure trove of playoff experience should prove critical to the Dodgers, especially considering a win on Friday will send them back to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2020.

Here is the full lineup the Dodgers will be working with as they try to eliminate the Mets:

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

First pitch for the potential pennant-clincher is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. ET.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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