Dave Roberts was hit with surprising news regarding the health of Freddie Freeman as the Dodgers look to become the first team in over 25 years to win three straight World Series titles.
According to Canada‘s national team manager, Freeman will undergo some medical procedures in the coming weeks, though few details have been released about the extent of his injuries.
Just days ago, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had said he did not believe the first baseman would need any procedures, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
This isn’t new territory for Freeman, who has battled lower-body issues during his time in Los Angeles and has already lost a step of his former speed.
Everything pointed to the Dodgers star suiting up for Canada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (he played in the 2023 edition) until these health concerns surfaced.
The Dodgers will lose several key players to the WBC
The two-time defending World Series champions will send multiple players to the tournament this winter: Will Smith will play for Team USA, Mookie Betts is also expected to join the American roster, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and Shohei Ohtani are all anticipated to represent Japan.
Lending so many core pieces could take a toll over the long 2026 season, and manager Dave Roberts has already expressed his desire to limit workloads where possible to keep everyone healthy.
“I would like to think that it’s going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations, in the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity,”Roberts said at the Winter Meetings.
“They’ve come off some long seasons, and certainly with Yamamoto and looking out for 2026. But right now there’s no more clarity than we had before.
“I don’t want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country. I know the organization isn’t, but I do think the conversations need to be had – will be had – as far as what each individual is taking on, whatever role that might be, and what potential costs there might be.
“But you can’t debate the emotion and what a player might feel about this potential opportunity.”
Read the full article here
