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The Dodgers have announced their lineup decision regarding Freddie Freeman following the injury scare he suffered when he fell into the dugout during the sweep finale against the Royals, per David Vassegh at Heavy. Freeman had been dealing with what the team described as total body soreness after the tumble, and there was legitimate concern about whether he’d be available heading into the next series.

Freeman, now 36, has been one of the most durable players in baseball for the better part of a decade. He played through a fractured elbow during the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series run — a gutsy stretch that cemented his status with this fanbase — and has rarely missed time due to injury throughout his career. He moved to the No. 2 spot in the lineup earlier this week as part of Dave Roberts‘ effort to inject more urgency into the offense, so any absence from Freeman would have undercut that reconfiguration before it even had a chance to take hold. His bat is central to everything the Dodgers want to do offensively, particularly with the club looking to stabilize after Roberts publicly called out the lineup for getting bullied by fastballs.

Freeman’s 2026 season has been a continuation of the elite production we’ve come to expect. He remains one of the best pure hitters in the National League, combining plate discipline, gap power, and a lefty swing tailor-made for Dodger Stadium. Losing him for any stretch — even a few games — would create a noticeable hole in the middle of the order that’s tough to replicate internally.

The fall itself looked worse in real time than the aftermath suggested, but these things can linger, especially for a player in his mid-thirties who plays every day. I was watching closely for any sign the Dodgers might err on the side of caution, given where we are in the season and how much Freeman means down the stretch and into October.

For the Dodgers, this lineup decision matters beyond just one game. The club is trying to find offensive consistency after a stretch where the bats have gone cold, and Roberts has already signaled that playing time could shift based on performance. Freeman is the one player in the lineup who’s essentially locked in regardless — his presence anchors the order. Whether he’s in or out for a given game, the bigger picture here is that the team needs him healthy for the long haul. We’re past the midpoint of August, and this roster is built around Freeman being in the middle of things when it counts most.

Source(s): David Vassegh (Heavy) | First reported: August 13, 2026 10:28 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers