Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES — Friday night wasn’t just a shutout win for the Dodgers — it was also the long-awaited return of Freddie Freeman, who was activated off the injured list after missing time with an ankle injury. Fittingly, his comeback happened on the night fans received his 2024 World Series bobblehead at Dodger Stadium.
“It was just a good overall first day,” Freeman said postgame. “It’s nice to be with your guys again… just get the first one out of the way.”
Freeman was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance and came around to score on Tommy Edman’s fifth-inning home run. While he joked that it was “another day of rest” in terms of not making hard contact at the plate, he noted that running the bases and being back on the field felt like a big step forward in his recovery.
“It felt a lot better than it did when I first got hurt,” Freeman said. “It’s just good to be moving around again.”
Though Freeman didn’t log a hit, he contributed defensively and provided a veteran presence in the lineup. He also had high praise for starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who dazzled with six shutout innings and nine strikeouts.
“He was great,” Freeman said. “I mean, he was dotting tonight — down and away, splitter was down, two-seam running in on righties’ hands. He had everything going.”
Freeman compared Yamamoto’s approach this season to what he saw last year, noting a visible shift in confidence.
“You never know how a first year’s gonna go, especially with an injury like he had,” Freeman said, referencing Yamamoto’s IL stint in 2024. “But this year, it looks like he’s on a mission. He’s more comfortable now, knows how the travel works, how the season flows. That kind of comfort only comes with time.”
The night also brought a smile off the field, as Freeman got a glimpse of his son Charlie being coached by his grandfather, captured on video during the broadcast. Freeman lit up talking about it.
“Chelsea just showed me that,” he said. “It’s amazing — those memories, we’ll keep those forever. Dad’s a good teacher, I think.”
Though still working his way back to full rhythm at the plate, Freeman’s presence and leadership were felt in a game that saw the Dodgers click in every phase. And with Yamamoto dealing and the lineup heating up, the return of Freeman only strengthens an already formidable club.
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