Dodgers manager had an alternate lineup ready to roll, and guess what? Freddie Freeman wasn’t in it! Yep, you heard that right. Instead, Teoscar Hernández was set to bat third, with Max Muncy sliding over from third base to take over at first, and Enrique Hernández stepping in at the hot corner.  

Why the change? Well, Freeman’s been battling a severely sprained right ankle that just isn’t healing as quickly as the team had hoped. On top of that, he was feeling some soreness in his side—yikes! It looked like he might be sidelined for this crucial game. But hold on to your hats because Freeman is back in the lineup.

The teams’ unwavering support for Freddie Freeman  

After taking a couple of days off to rest that pesky ankle, he’s ready to face the Padres and swing for the fences. He had to leave Game 2 after feeling some pain and was replaced by a pinch-runner after a single in Game 3—definitely not the way he wanted things to go.

Now, with the stakes higher than ever, Freeman is stepping up when it counts the most. Mookie Betts just hit us right in the feels with his shoutout to Freddie Freeman! He said, “People don’t know what Freddie goes through, but on the inside, we know what he’s going through, and we know how much he wants to win.” It’s a heartfelt reminder of the battles Freeman has faced this season, both on and off the field.

Freddie Freeman took a break from the game in late July and early August. He did so in order to spend more time with his 3-year-old son, Maximus. Max was found to have a rare neurological condition that completely paralyzed him. The Freeman family is really relieved that the little champ has been improving and has just started walking once more. But the difficulties didn’t end there. Later in August, a broken right finger kept Freeman out of the lineup for three games. Towards the conclusion of the season, calamity struck once more. He tried to avoid a tag from Padres first baseman Luis Arraez and hurt his ankle. But the Dodgers might be looking to turn their luck around.

A major win for the Dodgers 

The Dodgers realized this was their opportunity to change the course of their history as soon as they were on the field on Friday. For the first time since 2021, the Dodgers advanced to the NL Championship Series after defeating the Padres 2-0 in Game 5 of the NLDS. With eight victories to go before their team’s ultimate goal, fans were ecstatic.

Thanks to Teoscar and Enrique Hernandez’s crucial home runs. The atmosphere for an amazing evening was created by those long balls, which also enthralled the audience! Not to be overlooked was Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s masterful five shutout innings of pitching, which silenced the Padres’ batters. The Los Angeles bullpen was outstanding. Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Alex Vesia, and Evan Phillips combined to produce a masterwork of relief pitching that saw them record five strikeouts without giving up any hits or walks.  

The Padres’ bats went quiet in Game 5 of their elimination defeat, even though they had put the Dodgers in danger of elimination in Game 4. The only players with hits were Luis Arraez and Kyle Higashioka, while Fernando Tatís Jr., the standout right fielder, struggled to get on base. As they prepare to play the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series, the Dodgers are making their first trip this far since 2021.