Team Canada star Freddie Freeman will miss his team’s must-win game against Mexico on Wednesday.
Freeman left Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic game against Colombia in the bottom of the fourth inning due to a lower-body injury. After seeing doctors on Tuesday afternoon, Team Canada took the decision to keep Freeman out of the lineup for their final Pool C game.
Sportsnet’s Shi David reported that WBC rules would prevent Canada from replacing Freeman with another player under the next round.
“Right now he had tightness in his hammy. And of course for precautionary reasons we took him out of the game right away,” manager Ernie Whitt said. “He felt something on one of his swings, his second at-bat. So again we would do that to anyone if there’s discomfort or something like that, we’re going to take them out.”
With Freeman out Tuesday, Denzel Clarke took over centre field and the second spot in the batting order, while Jared Young moved from left field to first base and Jacob Robson shifted from centre field to left field.
Canada, which is 2-1 after three Pool C games at the WBC, defeated Colombia 5-0 Tuesday and will look to book a spot in the quarterfinals with a win versus Mexico Wednesday.
Canada led Colombia 1-0 at the time of Freeman’s exit.
Freeman, 33, is a six-time all-star, a National League MVP and a World Series winner who currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers.