All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was out of the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
Freeman has been playing with a badly sprained and swollen right ankle throughout the postseason. He also missed Game 4 of the Division Series at San Diego with the Dodgers facing elimination.
"He's obviously ailing and he's doing everything he can to stay on the field. With the back-to-back games and one tomorrow, just trying to kind of make a decision what puts him in the best position for the games going forward," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday.
"And just tonight seemed easy. Obviously he wants to be in there. But having him not make the start, run out there on and off the field, be ready for a big spot tonight, made a lot of sense."
Roberts said "it's the right decision" but indicated he still might deploy Freeman as a pinch hitter in an important situation. He said he called the slugger after Wednesday night's win to give him a heads up so he could take full advantage of knowing he would be getting a rest.
