Freddie Freeman will not be allowed to participate in NLCS Game 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers’ star first baseman, continues to battle a severe right ankle sprain in the National League Championship Series.

After Freeman’s 0-for-5 performance with two strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 12-6 loss to the Mets in Game 5 of the NLCS on Friday night, manager Dave Roberts said he planned to have a conversation with the first baseman about his role for Game 6 on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. Freeman is now 3-for-18 (.167) in the four games he has played in this series.

“I do think his swing isn’t right,” Roberts said. “I’m sure it’s the ankle. We’ll have that conversation, but not having him for Game 6 is certainly an option, yes.”

Since Freeman sprained his ankle on Sept. 26, he has spent several hours a day receiving treatment. While he weathers the injury, the pain has not improved.

“It is what it is,” Freeman said. “I know what every day is like, I just wish I could go about my routine. You know that I’m very experienced and haven’t managed it yet. “I’m going to go out on the field tomorrow when the training room opens to get some treatment and go into the cage right after to try to fix that swing.”

Freeman said he hasn’t felt good with his mechanics for quite some time and that it’s “hard to say” whether the ankle is the primary cause of his recent difficult stretch at the plate. Despite having seven hits in the eight postseason games he has played, Freeman has yet to record an extra base hit.

“It’s like running a 100-meter hurdle and I keep hitting the same hurdle and running right into it every time,” Freeman said. “It is what it is and I’m doing my best.”

If Freeman is out for Game 6, it won’t be the first time Los Angeles has fielded a starting nine without its first baseman. Freeman was forced to miss Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Padres and Game 4 of the NLCS. The Dodgers won both games and scored a total of 18 runs.

“That’s part of the equation,” Roberts said Saturday when asked about Manaea being on the mound. “It’s certainly part of the math. I’ll just talk to him and see where he stands, but I won’t make a decision today, I don’t think we need that. And then we’ll just come by tomorrow and see where it’s at. But knowing the arm that starts is certainly part of it.”

“If I’m not there on Sunday,” Freeman said, “we’ll do everything we can to be available later in the game.”