Freddie Freeman’s knee, Shohei Ohtani’s bat and the Dodgers’ October calculus

Freddie Freeman missed the Los Angeles Dodgers' Monday night game against the Cincinnati Reds due to right knee discomfort. Manager Dave Roberts indicated that placing Freeman on the 10-day injured list, similar to what they did with Shohei Ohtani, is not being considered at this stage. Roberts stated, "I don’t think (the rest) needs to be 10 days, but could it be more than one?

That’s a fair question," adding that he must consult with the training staff before deciding. Despite Freeman's .293 batting average, he has struggled recently with nine strikeouts in his last 30 at-bats. The Dodgers, currently leading the NL West with a 90-59 record, aim to secure one of the top two seeds in the postseason, with Milwaukee holding the top mark.

Ohtani, who has been on the 15-day injured list since September 8 due to right biceps inflammation, is scheduled to hit off a tee on Tuesday. Roberts noted that Ohtani has been engaging in rehabilitation workouts and treatments. The team's performance without Ohtani seemed to have a noticeable impact on the clubhouse, though not necessarily in a negative manner.

However, reliever Edwin Díaz, who has allowed six earned runs over 3 1/3 innings in four rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, remains a concern. Díaz is dealing with neck inflammation and control issues. While he will pitch again on Wednesday, Roberts hinted that Díaz might be excluded from the postseason roster, emphasizing the need for improvement.