Dodgers' $162 Million Star Provides Massive Injury Update as Opening Day Nears

Gabe Smallson | Mar 25, 2025

Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) warms up before the game against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers had a scary moment ahead of Opening Day in Japan. 

Hours before the first pitch of the 2025 season, World Series MVP Freddie Freeman was scratched from the lineup citing the same injury that had nagged him throughout October. 

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Although he ended up sitting out the second game of the Tokyo Series, Freeman revealed to the Los Angeles Times that he made a more cautious decision to sit out the pair of regular season games in Japan.  

“Hopefully it will be an afterthought by Thursday,” Freeman said. “I was able to hit in the cage and do whatever I wanted to on the day of Game 2 [in Japan]. But just didn’t know, game-speed, if it would make it come up again. So I thought we ultimately made the right decision.”

Jack Harris of the L.A. Times reported that the discomfort was caused by a scar-tissue build-up in the place where his ribs healed this offseason.

Freddie Freeman said he hasn’t had any further issues with his rib, and feels confident that he was just working thru some scar-tissue build-up from where it had healed over the offseason

He said he progressed enough once the team got home last week that he didn’t need an MRI

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) March 24, 2025

Not risking the October hero’s health in a March regular season game was certainly the smarter move, despite the fanfare of the team's trip across the globe, as confirmed by Dodgers team doctor Neal ElAttache.

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"This time of the year is the worst time of the year to take a chance with somebody that has something that, if you give it a little time, it can get better, but if it doesn't, if you're wrong, and too aggressive with it ... they lose six or eight weeks,” ElAttrache said to the Los Angeles Times.

A now healthier and significantly less worrisome Freeman was able to play in the first two games of the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels.

While he will be present for the domestic Opening Day battle Thursday against the Detroit Tigers, fellow superstar Mookie Betts is still in flux.

Although he is trending towards playing alongside Freeman, there has been no official announcement from the team yet. That likely won't come until hours before Thursday's game.

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For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.