Dodgers' Freeman expected to return for Game 5

NEW YORK — All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was 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 Los Angeles facing elimination.

Even without Freeman, the Dodgers rolled to a 10-2 victory over New York that gave them a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series and moved them within one win of their 25th pennant — most in NL history.

“I feel really good. We’re just trying to manage it,” Freeman said after the game. “I’ll be out there tomorrow.”

Hours earlier, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said resting Freeman was “the right decision.”

“He’s obviously ailing and he’s doing everything he can to stay on the field. With the back-to-back games and one tomorrow, just trying to kind of make a decision what puts him in the best position for the games going forward,” Roberts explained Thursday evening.

“And just tonight seemed easy. Obviously he wants to be in there. But having him not make the start, run out there on and off the field, be ready for a big spot tonight, made a lot of sense.”

Roberts indicated he might deploy Freeman as a pinch hitter in an important situation, but that never became necessary. He said he called the slugger after Wednesday night's win to give him a heads up so he could take full advantage of knowing he would be getting a rest.

“He asked me if he was being benched. That’s one thing. He doesn’t offer up days off,” Roberts said, drawing a few chuckles from reporters.

“I know how much he’s going through to stay on the field. So I think that he understood that it’s for his best interests to kind of not start tonight’s game. But he took it like a professional.”

Freeman has been going through hours of pregame treatment every day just to get ready to play.

“I don’t think my respect could be any more for Freddie. To be quite frank, there is a lot that goes into it. But I don’t really care to know all the details,” Roberts said. “I just want to know if he’s in there or not, knowing that he’s in good hands with our training staff. But what it takes for him to get ready for a ballgame these days is a huge undertaking.”

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. Pages also played center in Game 2 against left-hander Sean Manaea.

Teoscar Hernández moved up to Freeman's regular No. 3 spot in the order. Switch-hitting shortstop Tommy Edman batted cleanup for the third time in his career — all since Aug. 29 with the Dodgers.

Edman doubled twice and drove in three runs, giving him seven RBIs in the NLCS. He has a .726 career OPS and has never had more than 13 homers or 57 RBIs in any of his six major league seasons. But he's batting .324 this postseason and is 7 for 17 (.412) in the NLCS.

Chris Taylor was at second base, batting ninth, instead of Gavin Lux — a left-handed hitter who missed Game 2 because of a right hip flexor injury. Lux returned in Game 3 against right-hander Luis Severino and finished 0 for 4 with a strikeout, never getting the ball past the pitcher.

“I think it was a combo. He’s had some starts versus left-handed pitching. Quintana has been really tough on lefties, putting them on the ground, the strikeout rates and stuff like that. So that’s one part of it,” Roberts said about Lux. “Also with the leg, just kind of trying to give him an extra day to recover, but also have him available if need be late.”

The 35-year-old Freeman, a .300 career hitter in 15 major league seasons, sprained his ankle while running through first base against the Padres during the final week of the regular season. An eight-time All-Star and the 2020 NL MVP with Atlanta, he is 7 for 27 (.259) with one RBI and no extra-base hits during the NL playoffs.

“He’s in a lot of pain out there. You can see it when he’s running and all that. But he’s inspiring us as players, as a teammate. Willing to put his body on the line,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said. “It’s impressive. It gets us going. We love when he’s in there. He’s been swinging it good for us. Unfortunately he’s not in there today, but I know he’s back in there tomorrow.”

New York also made a lineup change, starting Harrison Bader in center field over Tyrone Taylor.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza explained that Bader had three “really good at-bats” against Game 4 Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto back in April.

Taylor was hitting .138 (4 for 29) in the postseason with two doubles, three walks and eight strikeouts. He made a spectacular catch on the right-center warning track to limit Edman to a sacrifice fly early in Game 3.

“Taylor is a pretty good defender. Bader is an elite defender,” Mendoza said. “Again, just three at-bats, but I don’t think anybody had that much of a sample size against Yamamoto. We only faced him once. So I just decided to go with him.”