NEW YORK (AP) — All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman is out of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting lineup for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
Freeman has been playing with a badly sprained and swollen right ankle throughout the postseason. He also missed Game 4 of the Division Series at San Diego, with the Dodgers facing elimination.
“He’s in a lot of pain out there. You can see it when he’s running and all that,” teammate Will Smith said.
Los Angeles held a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven NLCS going into Thursday night’s game at Citi Field. With the Mets starting veteran left-hander Jose Quintana, the Dodgers moved Max Muncy from third base to first and Kiké Hernández from center field to third base.
Rookie outfielder Andy Pages, a right-handed batter, was set to start in center, hitting eighth.
Teoscar Hernández moved up to Freeman’s regular No. 3 spot in the batting order.
