Dodgers Receive Positive Injury Updates on Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman

CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers provided positive updates regarding injuries to players Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman on Tuesday. Manager Dave Roberts reported that Ohtani, who has been on the injured list, "felt good" after resuming hitting activities on Monday, where he took swings off a tee in Los Angeles. While Roberts did not confirm Ohtani's return before the end of the regular season, he mentioned that it remains the team's expectation for now. "Today was positive," Roberts stated, "and hopefully we can just keep building towards that." In a more significant development, Freeman returned to the lineup during Tuesday night's game against the Cincinnati Reds and achieved a three-hit performance, which he noted helped him secure a spot in Wednesday's lineup. Initially, Roberts planned to rest Freeman due to a right knee injury, which has caused him to miss three out of the last six games. However, Freeman negotiated with Roberts, saying, "If I get three hits, then can I be in there tomorrow?" Freeman's three singles came in the first, fifth, and seventh innings, breaking a slump where he had only three hits in his last 30 at-bats. Roberts commented, "It looked good. It looked more like Freddie." Freeman reported no pain in his knee, which has been affected by patellar tendinitis. He also mentioned making a swing adjustment to improve his performance, focusing on getting his front leg down sooner and catching the ball earlier in his swing. Freeman acknowledged that the adjustment is not a permanent solution but aims to find something effective for the upcoming playoffs. With Ohtani's progress and Freeman's performance, the Dodgers are feeling optimistic about their trajectory as they approach October.