The Los Angeles Dodger won their second game in a row Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies, but manager Dave Roberts wasn’t happy with what Freddie Freeman did in the fourth inning of the contest.
Freeman was caught trying to steal second in an effort that was not only unsuccessful, but was not approved by the skipper.
“I didn’t like that,” Roberts said.
The score was 5-0 heading into the fourth inning when the Rockies scored two in the top half of the frame. With two outs and Freeman on first, the World Series MVP attempted to steal second to get into scoring position but was thrown out.
“He’s competitive and thought he had a chance to steal a base, give us a four-run lead. But I just think right now we’ve got to make sure we manage his workload and health,” Roberts said. “I just want to make sure we try to keep him as healthy as possible, so I don’t think we’ll be seeing him steal many bases in the near future.”
This isn’t the first time that there has been discussion from Roberts about his willingness to let Freeman steal bases.
Last Friday, during Freeman’s return after a few missed games, as well as his stadium-wide bobblehead giveaway night, Roberts spoke on if the veteran had the green light to steal bases.
“No,” Roberts said. “It’s just red as red can be. Fire engine red.”
With the competitive fire that Freeman possess night in and night out, it is difficult to turn off a certain aspect of one’s game in order to preserve health. However, given the kind of impact that he has on the team, Roberts is only speaking from a place of caution.
Freeman only stole nine bases last season while dealing with his fair share of ailments, but the season prior saw a career-high 23 swipes. His legs are an extremely important part of his game, but is also the point of concern from his manager.
Without Freeman in the lineup, there is no telling if the Dodgers still win the World Series in 2024, and especially in an early-season game — and after tweaking his surgically-repaired ankle this month — Roberts doesn’t appear to be making his comments from a critical place.
He just knows the Dodgers need Freeman on the field as much as possible — and that means being a little more conservative on the bases.
