Dodgers' Freddie Freeman Has Hairline Fracture, Will Play Anyway

Freeman will play through the injury.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman returned to the lineup Monday, opting to play through a hairline fracture in his right middle finger. Freeman's finger was jammed while going for a ground ball on Saturday, and he did not play during Sunday's 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Freeman was then diagnosed with the hairline fracture after undergoing follow-up imaging, but decided he can play through the injury and any pain that comes with it. He avoided going on the injured list, instead returning to the lineup during the Dodgers' 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Dave Roberts said Freddie Freeman will play through a hairline fracture in his right middle finger. Will be about pain tolerance, per Roberts.

He’s in there tonight.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 19, 2024

“We talked about it briefly, but he was adamant that he was gonna be fine,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Freeman, via Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. “He’s a guy that you certainly trust.”

The eight-time All-Star is off to a strong August so far. He has recorded at least one hit in 10 of the 13 games he has played in, and is hitting .302 with 16 hits, six runs, one home run, and five RBIs.

Monday also marked the return of Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, who has been on the IL for an extended period while dealing with an oblique injury. Muncy returned to the lineup against the Seattle Mariners and played like he never left, hitting a two-run home run in his first game since May 15.

Muncy is slashing .224/.322/.490 with 32 hits, 25 runs, 10 home runs, and 30 RBIs this season. The Dodgers used multiple players to fill in him for over the months he was injured, including Miguel Rojas, Kiké Hernández, and Cavan Biggio.

The series opener against the Mariners also saw the Dodger debut of recently-acquired outfielder Tommy Edman. The Dodgers traded for Edman ahead of the trade deadline in a three-team deal, but Edman had been on the injured list after undergoing wrist surgery over the offseason. He nabbed one hit in his first game of the season.

The Dodgers' lineup appears to be finally back to full strength after injuries had left the team below their best for months.

Outfielder Mookie Betts returned to the lineup last week after missing nearly two months of play with a fractured hand he sustained when he was hit by a pitch in June. Within this brief span, Edman, Muncy, and Betts have all returned, while Freeman missed just one game.