Freddie Freeman returns to Dodgers' lineup after missing 9 games with ankle injury from shower slip

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman came off the injured list Friday after missing nine games with a right ankle injury that resulted from slipping in the shower at home.

Freeman said an MRI showed fraying of the scar tissue in his surgically repaired ankle, but he was back to running bases a few days ago.

''I hate to say it, but I might have needed the 10 days,'' said Freeman, who loathes missing games. ''I feel the best I've felt since I've gotten hurt.''

The 35-year-old first baseman went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, was hit by a pitch and scored a run in the Dodgers' 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs, his first game since March 29.

''Got on base by way of hit-by-pitch and it was just his first game back,'' manager Dave Roberts said. ''He does a lot of great things, but this was a tough one. He'll be back in there tomorrow.''

Fans chanted ''Freddie! Freddie!'' as he came to the plate for the first time in the series opener against the Chicago Cubs on his bobblehead night.

Freeman saw fans waiting outside the stadium when he arrived 6 1/2 hours before gametime. Not quite the madness of a Shohei Ohtani giveaway, but impressive nonetheless.

''That was kind of crazy,'' he said. ''I do appreciate it. I just want to say thank you. My family is really excited about this bobblehead, too.''

Charlie Freeman, the oldest of Freeman's three sons, threw a ceremonial first pitch. The 8-year-old has a locker next to his father in the Dodgers clubhouse.

Charlie nonchalantly walked to the rubber on the pitcher's mound and fired a strike, just like he did last year. The crowd cheered and he walked off and into the arms of his father, who scooped him up.

The Freeman family, including wife, Chelsea, and father, Fred, gave the traditional pregame call of ''It's time for Dodger baseball!''

The World Series MVP has played in just three games so far. He missed the opening series against the Cubs in Tokyo with left rib discomfort and sat out last week's three-game series against his old team, the Atlanta Braves. Freeman has batted .250 with two home runs and four RBI.

Then came the shower incident.

Freeman slipped and fell on March 30 in what he called a ''freak accident.''

It was another mishap involving the same ankle Freeman sprained on a play at first base in late September. He struggled in the first two rounds of the postseason, but it was hardly evident during the World Series. He homered in the first four games and had 12 RBIs as the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games.

He had debridement surgery in December to remove loose bodies in the ankle.

Utilityman Kiké Hernández filled in at first during Freeman's absence.

''When you lose Freddie to have a backfill like Kiki has been huge for us,'' Roberts said. ''Certainly in preventing runs and making plays defensively.''

Freeman said he feels good enough to steal a base.

But he doesn't have the green light.

''No," Roberts said. "It's as red as it can be, fire engine red.''

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb