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Dodgers Roundup: Freddie Freeman Injury Update, LA Officially Releases Catcher, Hard-Throwing Reliever Demoted

Catch up on all the latest Dodgers news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
Aug 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) takes batting practice prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Aug 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) takes batting practice prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-2, on Wednesday evening and improved to 73-48 on the year as they completed the three-game sweep.

Left-hander Eric Lauer pitched 6.1 innings, throwing 112 pitches and ending his marathon outing with his sixth strikeout of the night.

The offense started with a towering Mookie Betts solo home run to tie things up in the second inning. During the bottom of the fourth inning, now down one run, superstar Shohei Ohtani sent a two-run shot into the stands to retake the lead.

The fireworks weren't over yet as newly-acquired former Dodger Hunter Feduccia cranked a solo shot 402 feet away to add to the lead and earn his first home run as a Dodger.

During the eighth inning, though, there was a scary moment as Freddie Freeman tried to catch a foul ball and ended up falling directly into the dugout. He was able to stay in the game on defense, but was removed in the bottom of the eighth inning when his spot came up in the lineup.

After the game, manager Dave Roberts provided an update on his first baseman, saying he's "day-to-day" but that the team "really dodged a bullet."

“He’s sore. Hand, knee, foot, shoulder a little bit," Roberts said, via the SportsNet LA broadcast. "But I think that we really dodged a bullet. It looked very scary visually."

Ahead of the eventual victory, the Dodgers demoted a reliever whose average fastball velocity is a little over 100 mph. In a corresponding move, right-hander Landon Knack was called up and got back to a major league mound for the first time in almost a month, recording the final eight outs of the game to earn the save.

In other news, the Dodgers officially released a catcher after a strong showing with the organization. The 24-year-old backstop was hitting .295 at the Double-A level with an OPS of .948.

Finally, a decision was reached as to if young catcher Dalton Rushing will need surgery on his elbow or not. This season has not been kind to those behind the dish wearing a Dodgers uniform as All-Star Will Smith has been out with an inflamed disc in his neck since early June, and Rushing more recently from suffering from a slightly torn UCL.

Here’s all the latest Dodgers news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Dodgers Suddenly Release Catcher After 2 Strong Months With Organization

Dodgers Surprisingly Demote Hard-Throwing Reliever, Call Up Landon Knack

Dalton Rushing Reveals Dodgers' Decision on Elbow Surgery

Tarik Skubal Addresses Impending Free Agency, Dodgers Potentially Having Advantage

Dodgers Will Reduce Teoscar Hernandez's Playing Time Amid Struggles

What Mark Walter's Lakers Sale Means for the Dodgers

Dodgers Lineup vs Royals: Tommy Edman Out, Kyle Tucker Hitting Cleanup

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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