The Los Angeles Dodgers were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers at home, and the weekend nearly became worse when one of their MVPs left the series finale with an injury.
Freddie Freeman left the game on Sunday, July 20 early after he was hit by a pitch on the wrist. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Freeman took an 88-mph sinker from Jose Quintana to his left wrist. The All-Star first baseman immediately walked to the Dodgers dugout and went into the clubhouse, essentially taking himself out of the game.
Hyeseong Kim came in as the pinch runner for Freeman, and Miguel Rojas moved from second base to take over the duties at first for the remainder of the game. The Dodgers said Freeman left the game with a left wrist contusion.
Freddie Freeman X-rays negative
Postgame, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said X-rays on Freeman’s wrist were negative, a positive sign for Los Angeles.
‘Obviously, when you see him walk up the field like that, very concerning, but the X-rays were negative, so that’s a positive,’ Roberts said. ‘I think just putting him in the day-to-day category is probably where we’re at right now.’
Roberts added he held his breath seeing Freeman’s reaction to the play as he thought he could potentially be without his first baseman for four to six weeks, but it was ‘a sigh of relief’ seeing the results. He said Freeman told him he couldn’t keep playing after he was hit.
The Dodgers have dealt with plenty of injuries this season, especially to its pitching staff with notable names like Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips out. Snell and Treinen are currently rehabbing in the minors. The defending World Series champions also are without third baseman Max Muncy, who suffered a bone bruise on an ugly play against the Chicago White Sox on July 2.
‘To lose (Freeman) longer, it would have been really tough to overcome,’ Roberts said. ‘We dodged a bullet there.’
In the meantime, rookie backup catcher Dalton Rushing will play at first base until Freeman returns.
Freddie Freeman 2025 season
Freeman has been a key contributor to Los Angeles this season, with a .292 batting average with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. He was named an All-Star starter for the National League in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.
However, Freeman has struggled recently, as he was batting .369 in early June. Since June 19, he’s batting .188 with just one home run and seven RBIs, and only six extra base hits. He only has 16 hits compared to 29 strikeouts during that timeframe.
The injury scare comes as the Dodgers are in the midst of a slump. The sweep by Milwaukee was the second time the Brewers swept Los Angeles in July, and the defending champions have lost 10 of their last 12 games, with six of those losses thanks to the Brewers. The Dodgers are 58-42 and are three and a half games ahead of the San Diego Padres for the lead in the NL West.