After injuring his hamstring while playing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, the Los Angeles Dodgers have decided on Freddie Freeman. The 33-year-old first baseman is out of the Classic “for now,” as he’s not in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against Mexico, according to Canada manager Ernie Witt.
“He’s out of this tournament for now,” Witt told reporters, according to the Los Angeles Times. “The Dodgers decided that. He’s over in camp right now getting looked at by the doctors and training staff.”
Freeman left Canada’s game against Colombia on Tuesday after feeling tightness in his hamstring. He popped out in his second at-bat and later took the field in the bottom half of the inning, before being removed from the game out of an abundance of precaution.
As of Wednesday, the Dodgers have not yet updated Freeman’s status, but it sounds like he’s returned to Glendale — the Dodgers’ spring training site — to undergo further evaluations. Freeman, who signed a six-year pact with the Dodgers last offseason, played in 159 games last season, slashing .325/.407/.511 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs.
We’ll have to see the extent of Freeman’s hamstring injury, but it’s clear that the Dodgers aren’t messing around with the health of their All-Star first baseman.
[Jorge Castillo on Twitter]