Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome with left rib discomfort, the team announced shortly before the game started.

It was a late announcement from the Dodgers, and it will be interesting to see if Freeman can play in Wednesday's game against the Cubs, or if the rib discomfort prevents him from playing both games in Japan. After Los Angeles' 4-1 victory, Freeman said he “felt something” in his rib during pregame batting practice and pegged a “75% chance” of playing Wednesday, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Max Muncy said the Dodgers found out about the scratch “when everyone else did.”

Kike Hernandez took Freeman's spot at first base in the lineup, batting sixth. Freeman joined Mookie Betts as a Dodgers star who could not play in the first game of the Tokyo Series. Betts will not play in either game due to an illness.

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The Dodgers have the depth to deal with Freeman and Betts being out of the lineup, but they will want to be at full strength come their first game back in the United States on March 27. Hopefully, Betts' illness is not a serious one, and Freeman's rib discomfort does not keep him out for long.

Despite the absence of Freeman and Betts, the Dodgers cruised past the Cubs on Tuesday. Shohei Ohtani had two hits, while Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith recorded RBIs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dominant in five innings, holding the Cubs to three hits and one earned run. Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius and Blake Treinen pitched the next three innings, while new addition Tanner Scott got the save in his first regular season appearance for the Dodgers.

On Wednesday, new Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki will get the start for Game 2 of the series against Cubs starter Justin Steele.