Dodgers Clinch NL West Title But Lose Freddie Freeman to Injury
The Dodgers clinched their 11th National League West title in the last 12 years Thursday at Dodger Stadium, beating the San Diego Padres 7-2.
The Dodgers (95-64) can’t be caught by the Padres (91-68) as each team embarks on its final three games of the 2024 regular season.
The Dodgers will do so without first baseman Freddie Freeman, who rolled his ankle running out a ground ball after an awkward play at first base in the seventh inning.
Freeman, 35, was in pain on the field after he tripped running down the first-base line. He did not return to the game for the final two innings.
After the game, Freeman was in a walking boot while his teammates celebrated their clinching party. But he told reporters in the clubhouse that an x-ray revealed no structural damage to the ankle, leaving his chances of playing in the postseason intact.
The Dodgers will travel to Colorado Friday for three games against the Rockies to end the regular season. Their next game after that won’t be until Oct. 5 against an opponent to be determined. It will either be the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets or Arizona Diamondbacks — the three teams fighting for the final two Wild Card berths — or the NL Central-winning Milwaukee Brewers.
Thursday, the Dodgers and Padres were tied 2-2 when back-to-back run-scoring hits by Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts keyed a rally to put Los Angeles ahead 5-2. Andy Pages homered in the eighth inning to put the Dodgers ahead 7-2.
Will Smith also homered for the Dodgers, who are still trying to hold off the Philadelphia Phillies (94-65) for the No. 1 seed in the postseason. The Phillies finish their season against the Washington Nationals this weekend in D.C.
If Freeman has eight days to rest before his next game, the hope is he can pick up where he left off. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters amid the clubhouse celebration Thursday that Freeman could even have played in Colorado if the Dodgers had not yet clinched the division title.
In 148 games this season, Freeman batted .282 with a .378 on-base percentage and .476 slugging percentage. He’ll finish the season with 22 home runs and 89 RBIs, to go with 35 doubles and nine stolen bases.
Not since 2018 had the Dodgers clinched a division title at home with fans in attendance. The Dodgers clinched a playoff berth in 2020 at home, but fans were not allowed in the stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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