August 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nFreeman was in good spirits when talking to reporters after the game. He cracked a few jokes and bemoaned that he didn\u2019t make the play while detailing the full body soreness he felt. He did clarify that he hadn\u2019t sustained any damage to the ankle he had surgically repaired in 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t hit my head, so that was the key part there,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI am sore. Kneecaps are sore, shoulder is sore, hand is sore, wrist is sore.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, I fell,\u201d he added with a laugh.<\/p>\n
The incident happened in the top of the eighth inning, after Royals outfielder Isaac Collins popped up a 2-1 fastball from reliever Landon Knack. Freeman appeared to have a read on the ball and drifted into foul territory to make the catch, though it kept carrying. Freeman, who continued to track the ball, said he knew he was approaching the dugout and meant to reach out for the rail.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew I was close to the rail,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI haven\u2019t really seen the replay yet, but I went to lean, like I was gonna lean against the rail to catch the ball \u2014 and obviously there was no rail.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead Freeman fell down several feet, missing the first set of stairs entirely. He landed just before the second set of stairs that lead from the dugout to the clubhouse, something he credited as preventing a more serious injury. The right side of his body took the brunt of his fall, he said.<\/p>\n
Second baseman Miguel Rojas sprinted into the Royals dugout while the Dodgers\u2019 training staff and Roberts immediately rushed across the field. Several members of the Royals also attended to Freeman, including outfielder Starling Marte, coach Miguel Garcia and team trainers.<\/p>\n
But Freeman was quick to his feet and took the field as the crowd at Dodger Stadium chanted his name. He attempted to stay in the game, but the adrenaline wore off shortly before the inning ended. Pinch-hitter Tommy Edman replaced Freeman in the bottom of the eighth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really didn\u2019t want to lay at an angle and wait for our trainers to get there,\u201d Freeman explained. \u201cSo I just got up. And I was sore immediately, but I had adrenaline flowing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could hear the fans,\u201d he said. \u201cI appreciate it. I\u2019m OK.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n Freddie Freeman briefly stayed in the game after his dugout fall Wednesday night before coming out in the eighth inning. (Kiyoshi Mio \/ Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)<\/p>\n
Freeman, who has played in 118 of the Dodgers\u2019 121 games this year, was scheduled for a day off on Friday. He\u2019ll confer with Roberts ahead of Thursday\u2019s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, but was already lobbying to be in the starting lineup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already cold tubbed,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI\u2019ve done everything I needed to do to put myself in a position to be able to hopefully play tomorrow. We\u2019ll just see how I feel when I wake up tomorrow. But right now, I\u2019m just sore.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was not the first time Freeman sustained a scary fall into foul territory. He recalled a play against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field during his time with the Atlanta Braves, before Major League Baseball installed protective netting around the sides of the field of play. He had flipped over the wall in foul territory and fell into the stands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually went down probably like 10 feet. I hit seats and everything,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo not my first time. I didn\u2019t catch that one either.\u201d<\/p>\n