NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 4, 2024

Freddie Freeman

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. When you look at what this last week has looked like for you, how much better are you feeling? And just to do the drills today, where do you just kind of stand preparing for tomorrow?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: A lot of treatment, a lot of time in the training room. The swelling has come down a lot. So I feel good, good enough.

There's going to be -- I'm sure you'll be watching me, the slowing down part of running is going to be -- that's going to hinder. But overall, today I felt really, really much better than I have in the last couple of days.

Q. When you think about checkboxes, was today a checkbox?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: That was the last. So, I've hit. I've hit batting practice inside. I did the sim game yesterday. The last two was hitting ground balls and running bases. That was my last couple checkboxes, and I was able to do that today.

Q. Is there anything specifically movements, first baseman-wise, running bases, that are more difficult right now?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: So far, not really. I think hitting the bag because I hit the bag with my right foot. So that would be something. If I can just think -- hit with my left food maybe. But I think in the game whatever is going to happen is going to happen. But I feel stable enough to hit.

Pushing off today, I tried to push as hard as I could in covering first base in those drills. And I felt good enough.

Q. I'm sure you'll be asked a lot about him throughout the postseason and you have through the course of the season, but what have you seen about Shohei as the game gets more intense?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: He didn't get out (laughing), so the game is getting closer and closer to winning the division he seemed to pick it up. We saw it in the WBC, representing Japan, he's already played in big moments.

But I'm excited for him to be in the first postseason. He's kind of lived up to everything so far.

Q. For a guy who likes to play 162, how difficult has it been to maintain your swing this year in the second half with the time off that you've had?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: I'd say the last couple of months have been a lot. I think that would be kind of an understatement. But I've felt pretty good. I felt like I was starting to hit the line drives to left field before I sprained my ankle. But even in the sim game yesterday I was able to hit line drives to the left field.

The swing has been feeling really good in the cage I'll go out do live batting practice tonight at 6:00, get more reps. And all that goes out the window when tomorrow starts, though.

Q. You play through nagging injuries all the time. Is this about as serious of an injury as you'll try to play with?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: I would say, yeah. They told me this is a four- to six-week IL stint. And I'm going to try to do this in a week and play. I'm not going to be hindering, I don't think.

There's certain plays, like the slowing down stuff. I can't thank Bernard Li, our whole training staff, for getting me able to be able to do this.

So I would say -- I did play with a broken finger but I would say -- I've never sprained an ankle before. So that was the hardest thing. I didn't know. And they say your first sprained ankle is the worst. But they said this is four to six weeks. But I'm going to do it in a week.

Q. If it's hindering, how will you know sort of if it is time --

FREDDIE FREEMAN: It doesn't matter. Tomorrow, who cares. No one is going to worry about me hindering or anything like that tomorrow. We just gotta win ball games and that's my focus tomorrow.

Q. The entire season, how would you describe how challenging this season was for you and how much will power has that given you going forward?

FREDDIE FREEMAN: Yeah, I wouldn't say -- the first half was all right. I think, obviously, the second half has been a challenge. I think everyone in here knows, it's been a lot.

Sometimes you get hurt, like I sprained my ankle, got to stay home for those three days. I was here five hours a day getting treatment and doing stuff like that.

But getting to put the kids to bed. Seeing Max. Max is walking now, things are so much better. It's been challenging. Injuries that you just didn't think would happen but they happen. Every year is different. You've just got to take it in stride. But we're still here. We've got Game 1 of the playoffs tomorrow, smile on your face, everything is okay. Hopefully we can end this on a good note.