Braves slugger Freeman out with injured finger
Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman didn’t play Sunday against the Nationals after he had a painkiller injection for his right middle finger following Saturday’s game.
“It’s been hurting since spring training,” Freeman said. “I’ve been grinding it out. I got a shot during the All-Star game as well. It just kind of finally wore off. It’s pretty painful every single day. It got to the point I was swinging the bat before the game and it kind of blew up on me again.”
Freeman said the shot requires about a 48-hour recovery period and he hopes to be back in the lineup when the Braves play at Arizona on Monday. It was still noticeably swollen following Sunday’s game.
Freeman has played in 122 of 124 games this season and is having one of his better years offensively. He’s hitting .287 with .382 on-base percentage and .539 slugging percentage, which would set or be near to career highs if he finishes strong, and already has hit a career-high 24 home runs.
“It’s been a battle all year and it hurts, but I’ve been able to fight through it,” Freeman said. “It doesn’t affect too much, a couple swings here and there every day. But yesterday it got to the point where I couldn’t even grip the bat anymore.”
Freeman had hoped to keep news of his injured finger quiet until he was back in the lineup. But it became obvious he was unavailable to play Sunday when the Braves rallied in the eighth inning and Freeman never even went to the on-deck circle.
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