Why Isn’t Freddie Freeman Playing for Dodgers vs Cubs?

Gabe Smallson | Apr 13, 2025

Mar 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) is congratulated by shortstop Mookie Betts (50) after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After the Los Angeles Dodgers suffered the worst home loss in franchise history Saturday evening, 16-0, to the Chicago Cubs, fans got more bad news as Freddie Freeman was not in the lineup for Sunday's series finale.

Just two days removed from Freeman's return after a stint on the injury list, Sunday appears to be an off day as manager Dave Roberts confirmed to the media ahead of the series finale with the Cubs.

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"He was either going to take today or tomorrow off, given that we have six in a row" said Roberts. "Wasn't going to play six in a row, so we just felt that today would be the best day and then we'll run him for three against the Rockies."

Planned off day for Freddie Freeman, per Dave Roberts: "He was either going to take today or tomorrow off, given that we have six in a row. Wasn't going to play six in a row, so we just felt that today would be the best day and then we'll run him for three against the Rockies." https://t.co/66ilbtLk44

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 13, 2025

Freeman initially landed on the IL due to a freak accident in the shower that resulted in him slipping and tweaking his surgically repaired ankle. Per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, the World Series MVP was using the shower in his guest room due to a leak in his main shower and took a tumble.

“You slip in bathtub showers all the time,” he added. “When you’re healthy, you just catch yourself. And when you’re not, when you got a little surgically repaired ankle, mostly I think it just flared everything kind of back up.”

Of all the injuries that Freeman has been through last season, to say that the veteran has been through a lot would be a severe understatement.

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On the day that the Dodgers clinched the NL West last season, Freeman rolled his right ankle and would later require surgery a few months later.

As he battled through October with that injury, he revealed he was working through broken cartilage in his rib that he suffered during the NLDS.

Somehow, through the injuries and off the field hardships of the 2024 season, Freeman did the improbable, and hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history to end Game 1. He followed this up with a home run in four consecutive games — six straight including his World Series win with the Atlanta Braves in 2021—, and a World Series trophy after Game 5.

Freeman has shown his adversity through so much over the last few months, so ensuring that his ankle is fully healed for another long season seems to be the best course of action for Los Angeles at the moment.

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