LOS ANGELES — The five-day break before the World Series couldn’t have come at a better time for Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Freeman, who missed two of the last three games against the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series with a badly sprained ankle, revealed Tuesday that he’ll definitely be in the lineup Friday night (8 p.m. ET, Fox) for Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium.
“With this time off, it’s going to be a 100% go for me in Game 1,’’ Freeman said. “I don’t think there’s any question in anybody’s mind that I will be in the lineup for Game 1.’’
Freeman, who has been spending 4½ hours before each game getting treatment on the ankle he injured on Sept. 26, hit just .167 (3-for-18) in the NLCS. He hasn’t produced an extra-base hit in the entire postseason.
“With a good swing, that’s where the power comes,’’ said Freeman, who had 22 homers and 35 doubles this season. “I don’t have any power right now.’’
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Yet, the extra rest, Freeman says, could be the magical elixir, enabling him to feel like himself again.
“Every day I can get off my feet, not running, treating this is huge,’ Freeman said. ‘I can still hit. I can still do all of that kind of stuff. It’s more of once I take that first run-step, that’s when everything kind of flares up in my ankle. So I’m now at three straight days of not running, and just only treating it.
“So, every day is going to be better.’’
The Dodgers scored 20 runs in the two games that Freeman was out of the starting lineup, with Max Muncy shifting to first base. But clearly they’re a better team when the eight-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner is at first base.
“You’re talking about one of the most consistent hitters over the last (15) years,’’ Muncy said. “It’s .300 every year, a ton of doubles, a bunch of homers, drives in 100 runs. You’re just talking about an absolute complete player on the offensive side.
“And to get him back, to have that in the lineup, to have that depth. And on top of that, the key hits that he’s had, the clutch hits he’s had in his career, at this time of year you can’t really quantify how valuable that is. We know how valuable he is to us, and we’re excited to have him back.’’
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called the time off for Freeman “huge’’ for his recovery, and is optimistic that it will not only enable Freeman to regain his swing, but even play all nine innings without having to be taken out for defensive reasons.
“I think the swing is in a good place,’’ Roberts said, “it’s just kind of seeing how long we can kind of sustain that.’’
And this time, instead of nursing his ankle during the Dodgers’ clinching victory for a World Series berth, Freeman hopes to be smack dab in the middle of the clubhouse celebration having an entire winter to heal.
“I think it certainly hurt him not being able to be a part of things, and not being part of Game 6,’’ Roberts said, “but appreciating the fact that we’ve got four more days to nurse his ankle back to health. I think there’s only upside in that. Mentally, I think he’s in a good spot. Anxious obviously with the ankle, but I don’t doubt the fact that he’ll be in there for Game 1.
“Hopefully, we’ve gotten ourselves out of the woods and we can manage him throughout the World Series.’’
In other news, the Dodgers announced that Jack Flaherty, who grew up as a Dodgers fan in Los Angeles, will start Game 1 of the World Series.
The irony is that he’s facing the Yankees, who actually agreed to a preliminary trade with the Detroit Tigers for Flaherty at the trade deadline — but the Yankees balked at his physicals that revealed an inflamed back, enabling the Dodgers to instead trade for him.
“There was a lot more to all that with the deadline that I just kind of held onto,’’ Flaherty said. “Things worked out the way that they did. We’re here. We’re with L.A. It’s crazy on the other side of this, but I’m happy for the situation that I’m in and being a part of this team.’’
Flaherty has become the Dodgers’ ace amid their influx of injuries, going 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts with the Dodgers. He lost his lone start in the NL Division Series against the Padres, pitched seven shutout innings in Game 1 of the NLCS against the New York Mets, but gave up eight runs in Game 5.
Still, Roberts and the front office think he’s more suited for Game 1. They’ll start Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 and have a bullpen game or call on Walker Buehler to start in Game 3.
“I think if you’re looking at both of those pitchers, and what the potential World Series could look like,’’ Roberts said, “just giving both those guys the best opportunity to pitch and put them in the best spots possible as far as days of rest, things like that.’’
Flaherty could pitch again on regular rest in Game 5 with Yamamoto scheduled for Game 6.
The Dodgers are cautiously optimistic that left-handed reliever Alex Vesia, who missed the NLCS with a calf injury, could return to their World Series roster, and perhaps also right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol.
“They are both trending in the right direction,” Roberts said. “With both of these guys, it’s going to be a type of game-time decision if they’re going to be viable or not.”
The Dodgers would particularly welcome Vesia back, who would give them two lefties in the bullpen with Anthony Banda.
The Dodgers, who also could add shortstop Miguel Rojas, must submit their World Series rosters by Friday morning.
Yet, one decision has been made perfectly clear.
Freeman is back, and no matter how much pain he’s in, he’ll be playing.
“We have the utmost respect for him and the way he goes about it,” Dodgers center fielder Kevin Kiermaier said earlier this postseason. “He’s an absolute dog. For him to do what he’s done, absolutely amazing.”
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