Dodgers all-star Freddie Freeman had fans holding their breath after taking a terrifying tumble while chasing a foul ball on Wednesday night.
The Los Angeles first baseman was tracking a high foul ball hit by Kansas City Royals’ Isaac Collins with one out in the top of the eighth when the incident occurred.
As the ball drifted away from the field of play, Freeman reached the warning track at the edge of the stairs leading down into the visitors’ dugout. With the ball coming down and nearly in his reach, Freeman lunged and his left foot appeared to slip on the top step, sending him crashing down several stairs and going nearly horizontal as he hit the ground.
The Royals dugout was shocked as several players and staff rushed to Freeman’s assistance while Dodgers trainers raced across the field.
After staying down for several moments and then being checked on by the training staff, Freeman rose to his feet and returned to the game as “Freddie! Freddie!” chants rang out from the fans at Dodger Stadium.
While Freeman initially stayed in game, he was removed for pinch hitter Tommy Edman in the bottom of the inning.
Is Freddie Freeman injured?
Freeman spoke about the scary incident after the game, explaining that he thought there was a rail to brace himself against.
“I was going to lean against the rail to catch the ball,” Freeman said after the game. “And obviously, there was no rail.”
Freeman said that while he has a lot of soreness, he hopes to be in his team’s series finale on Thursday.
“I didn’t hit my head, so that was the key part there. I am sore, kneecaps are sore, shoulder sore, hand sore, wrist sore. I mean, I fell,” he said, garnering a few laughs from reporters.
“I’m in good spirits, I’ve already cold tubbed, done everything I need to do to put myself in a position to be able to hopefully play (Thursday).
“We’ll just see how I feel tomorrow when I wake up.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also said it was a “scary” situation, but was happy that the former MVP escaped serious injury.
“Very scary visually,” Roberts said. “I didn’t really get a good look at it. I think for right now, in good spirits, which I think is a good sign. Just kind of total body soreness right now.”