TOKYO -- First baseman Freddie Freeman was a late scratch from the Dodgers' Opening Day lineup due to left rib discomfort. His status for Wednesday's series finale in Tokyo is uncertain, but Freeman said he was told he has a 75% chance of being able to play.
Freeman played through broken cartilage -- essentially a broken rib, he said -- last postseason, which he previously thought had gotten better with rest. He didn't feel any recent discomfort in the area before Tuesday, when he felt it during his last round of batting practice in the "same exact" spot as last year.
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"Not as severe," manager Dave Roberts said. "I thought we made the right decision not playing him tonight, and we'll see how he comes in tomorrow. So right now, I'm not too concerned."
Although he characteristically wanted to play through it, Freeman was held out of the lineup as a precaution.
"It was probably smart," Freeman said. "Obviously, way better than last year. Last year, I needed help getting to my car that first day. I can walk. I can take deep breaths. Just felt a little something in my rib, and with it being the first game, we didn¡¯t want it to be something lingering. So hopefully treat it today, come in tomorrow and see how it is."
Dr. Neil ElAttrache, who is at the Tokyo Series, told him that it could potentially be scar tissue from healing. If Freeman is not able to play on Wednesday, he will likely undergo imaging on his rib.
Freeman played in both of the Dodgers' Tokyo Dome exhibition games against the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers. He played first base in those games and got six at-bats between the two games.