Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman led his crew to the World Collection championship in 2024, with collection MVP honors to show it. That postseason run got here on the expense of his well being, nevertheless, as he performed by way of a bone bruise and sprain in his proper ankle that ultimately required him to endure surgical procedure in early December. On the time, the Dodgers urged that Freeman would be capable of “take part in baseball actions” throughout Spring Coaching, however that obscure timeline didn’t set a date for when he could be able to take part in video games once more.
Freeman himself supplied a little bit of readability on the state of affairs to reporters throughout the Dodgers FanFest occasion at this time. As famous by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Freeman has resumed swinging a bat once more however has but to begin working so far. With the beginning of Spring Coaching a matter of weeks away, it’s hardly a shock that Freeman indicated he received’t be accessible for the primary video games of Cactus League play this spring. Freeman did say that he “expects” to be prepared for the beginning of the Dodgers’ season in Tokyo on March 18, although after all with that simply six weeks away a setback in his restoration may alter that timeline.
That Freeman ought to be prepared for the beginning of the season is definitely a reduction for Dodgers followers, although it will hardly be a shock if the membership opted to be as cautious with him as attainable so as to guarantee he begins the season on the suitable foot with pretty much as good of well being as attainable. The slugger’s .282/.378/.476 slash line in 147 video games for the Dodgers in his age-34 marketing campaign final yr was a modest step again from his back-to-back top-4 MVP finishes in 2022 and ’23 however was nonetheless greater than sufficient to place him on the shortlist for the easiest first basemen within the sport final yr. Freeman as soon as once more figures to assist anchor the Dodgers lineup alongside fellow former MVPs Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani in 2025. It’s a lineup that largely seems to be the identical as final yr, although Michael Conforto has changed Jason Heyward within the outfield combine whereas Hyeseong Kim has taken over for Gavin Lux on the keystone.
Other than Freeman, nevertheless, the membership seems to be usually wholesome headed into Spring Coaching when gamers who’re anticipated to impression the 2025 crew on Opening Day. Proper-hander Tyler Glasnow was shut down in August as a result of an elbow sprain, however Dodgers Insider relays that Glasnow spoke at at this time’s fan occasion as nicely. The precise-hander revealed that he’s resumed throwing and is feeling “pretty much as good as [he’s] ever felt.” The 31-year-old is without doubt one of the most dominant hurlers within the sport when wholesome, however his 22 begins final yr have been a profession excessive as he’s always battled harm woes all through his profession. With Glasnow seemingly poised to be prepared for the beginning of the season, the Dodgers will certainly hope that their plans to make use of a six-man rotation this yr so as to accommodate Ohtani in his return to pitching will help Glasnow keep wholesome sufficient to pitch for them within the postseason this yr after he missed final yr’s World Collection run.
Turning again to the place participant facet of issues, veteran infielder Miguel Rojas joined Freeman in taking part in by way of harm throughout the postseason and underwent sports activities hernia surgical procedure after the season concluded. As famous by Ardaya, Rojas spoke about his restoration course of throughout at this time’s fan occasion and revealed that he suffered from a post-surgery an infection that delayed his skill to rehab for a few weeks. Thankfully, that now seems to be behind him as Rojas indicated he stays on monitor to be absolutely prepared for Spring Coaching when it begins later this month. The addition of Kim along side Betts’s transfer again to the infield leaves Rojas with out an on a regular basis position headed into 2025, however he managed to carve out a task for himself in 103 video games beneath comparable circumstances final yr regardless of a visit to the injured record.
As for gamers who aren’t anticipated to be prepared for Opening Day, Ardaya notes that right-hander Emmet Sheehan supplied an replace on his restoration from Tommy John surgical procedure for the primary time since he went beneath the knife final Could. The precise-hander has resumed throwing off a mound at this level in his rehab and added that he hopes to begin pitching in rehab video games come Could or June. That timeline would put him on the mound for these video games simply over a yr after his surgical procedure, placing him kind of on monitor for a standard restoration and to be a depth possibility out of the rotation or bullpen for L.A. within the second half this yr.
