The Padres hit six residence runs in what was a rout of a 10-2 victory in Sport 2 of their NLDS matchup with the Dodgers, knotting the collection 1-1 because the scene shifts to San Diego for Video games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Neither membership emerged from Sport 2 unscathed, nonetheless, as each Freddie Freeman (left ankle discomfort) and Xander Bogaerts (hamstring cramp) made early exits as a consequence of harm.
Freeman’s exit is the much less shocking of the 2, as the primary baseman’s makes an attempt to play by way of each a bone bruise and a sprain of his left ankle has grow to be one of many collection’ chief storylines. After going 2-for-5 and even stealing a base within the Dodgers’ Sport 1 victory, Freeman went 0-for-2 tonight earlier than he was changed within the discipline heading into the highest of the sixth. Freeman was due as much as the plate once more within the backside of the sixth and L.A. was trailing solely 3-1 after 5 innings, but he was clearly not feeling effectively sufficient to proceed enjoying. Publish-game, supervisor Dave Roberts advised Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Instances (X hyperlink) and different reporters that the crew would know extra about Freeman’s standing after figuring out tomorrow in the course of the membership’s off-day.
Freeman suffered what was initially identified as simply an ankle sprain on September 26, within the Dodgers’ fourth-last recreation of the common season. X-rays have been damaging, however Freeman revealed to reporters that the mix of the sprain and the bone bruise would usually sideline him for 4-to-6 weeks if this was the common season. Nonetheless, on simply eight full days of relaxation, Freeman returned to the sphere in Sport 1, although it wasn’t clear till only a few hours earlier than recreation time if the primary baseman would certainly be able to go.
Bogaerts seemingly suffered his harm whereas hitting a foul ball throughout his plate look within the eighth inning, but the shortstop seemingly regarded no worse for put on in hitting a solo homer. The Padres ended the body with a 7-1 lead, which maybe gave the membership slightly extra flexibility to exchange Bogaerts within the discipline with Tyler Wade within the high of the eighth.
Monday is an off-day within the collection, so Freeman and Bogaerts will get some built-in time to recuperate earlier than play resumes. Whereas Bogaerts’ cramp doesn’t appear overly critical, Wade is the pure substitute at shortstop if Bogaerts isn’t prepared for Tuesday’s Sport 3. If Bogaerts can hit however not discipline, the Padres can use Wade at shortstop, Luis Arraez at first base, and Bogaerts might conceivably act because the designated hitter.
Shohei Ohtani’s presence within the DH spot offers the Dodgers no such flexibility with Freeman, as he’d need to play first base if he’s to be a part of the crew’s beginning lineup. If he can’t begin, Freeman would subsequently seemingly be restricted to pinch-hit responsibility, which then necessitates a bigger shuffle of the Dodgers’ lineup. Clearly shedding Freeman beneath any circumstance is unhealthy information for Los Angeles, however shedding a key left-handed bat will hamper the Dodgers towards Sport 3 starter Michael King (a right-hander), and L.A. is missing in left-handed bench depth.
As a reminder, groups could make harm replacements to a collection roster, however at a big longer-term value. Changed gamers wouldn’t solely be out for the remainder of the NLDS, however additionally they wouldn’t be capable to take part within the NLCS if their crew was to advance to the following spherical. This rule is unquestionably weighing on the Dodgers particularly as they work out Freeman’s standing, although it will appear as if Freeman must have critically re-aggravated his harm for L.A. to take away him from the roster altogether.
