Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is away from the team as he deals with the hospitalization of his son. Manager Dave Roberts says that absence is expected to extend through the Padres series, per Fabian Ardaya from The Athletic. Freeman and the Dodgers have not announced a return date.
Freeman missed his first game of the season on Friday against the Houston Astros. According to his wife Chelsea's Instagram, their three-year-old son Maximus is likely suffering from Transient Synovitis. He went to the emergency room and was released early Friday morning. Chelsea says that the symptoms began while the family was in Texas for the MLB All-Star Game.
Freeman was placed on the Emergency Family List, which requires a player to miss three games, which Freeman already has. In the corresponding move, catcher Hunter Feduccia was called up from AAA Oklahoma City.
The situation back in Los Angeles takes precedence over the team, who ends their series with the Padres on Wednesday. After San Diego, the Dodgers head to Oakland for three games and return home on August 5 for a series against the Phillies.
Freddie Freeman's importance to the Dodgers
The Dodgers are one of the best teams in baseball and that is partially thanks to Freddie Freeman. He has hit a ridiculous .319 in his 424 games with the Dodgers and tacked on 66 home runs. With Mookie Betts already out with an injury, the Dodgers have leaned on Freeman to help propel them through this season.
The Dodgers are four games over .500 without Betts and Freeman has excelled in an expanded role. In 32 games, he has seven home runs and 25 RBI, a 162-game pace of 35 long balls and 125 RBI. Now with Freeman out for an undetermined amount of time, the team must look elsewhere.
Newcomer Cavan Biggio has been playing first base in Freeman's absence. While they were active at the MLB trade deadline, none of their acquisitions have a history of playing first base. Biggio is a viable short-term replacement for Freeman and will get run there.
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