- The 35-year-old Freeman, who severely sprained his right ankle Sept. 26, returned to the Dodgers’ lineup in their Game 5 loss Friday to the New York Mets after missing the series’ fourth game. Freeman went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts in the cleanup spot, one place below his typical No. 3 spot in Los Angeles’ batting order.
“I’m going to have a conversation with him [Saturday],” Roberts said. “But I do think that his swing is not right. I’m certain it’s the ankle. We’ll have that conversation, but it’s certainly an option to not have him in there for Game 6.”
After logging a pair of hits, scoring a run and driving in another in the Dodgers’ Game 1 victory, Freeman has struggled. He is 1 for his last 15 and hasn’t walked. In the entire postseason, he is hitting .219/.242/.219 with seven singles, one walk, six strikeouts and no extra-base hits in 33 plate appearances.
When Freeman sat out Game 4, the Dodgers moved Max Muncy from third base to first base, Kiké Hernández from center field to third and played Andy Pages — who homered twice Friday in the Dodgers’ 12-6 loss that sent the series back to Los Angeles — in center field. Los Angeles still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.
Freeman, an eight-time All-Star and former NL MVP, spends hours before every game getting treatment on the ankle. During his pregame routine at Citi Field on Friday, he was grimacing as he tried to prepare the ankle to play.
After lining out to first base with runners on second and third in the first inning, Freeman grounded out to first, struck out looking, struck out swinging and flied out to center field.
CLEVELAND — The Guardians will turn to right-hander Tanner Bibee on three days’ rest as they look to avoid playoff elimination in Saturday’s ALCS showdown with the New York Yankees.
Bibee, 25, started Game 2 but lasted just 1⅓ innings in a 6-3 loss that gave New York a 2-0 lead in the series. Bibee allowed five hits and three runs, two earned, while throwing just 39 pitches.
“He’s been our best pitcher all year,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “I can’t wait to get him back out there. He feels good. He feels ready.”
Bibee went 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA during the regular season, his second in the majors. He started two games during Cleveland’s ALDS win over Detroit, allowing two runs over 8⅔ innings without earning a decision.
Saturday’s Game 5 will mark his first appearance in the big leagues on three days’ rest.
“It’s not like I went out there and threw 100 pitches and about to go out there and do it again,” Bibee sai. “I threw 39 pitches. I feel good. I’m ready to go.”
Bibee will face New York’s Game 1 starter, left-hander Carlos Rodon. Rodon held the Guardians to one run over six innings, striking out nine, while earning the win at Yankee Stadium
