Jokes abound as Dodgers' Freddie Freeman misses 2nd game while recovering from shower slip and fall
Freddie Freeman says his slip and fall in the shower was a “freak accident.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman is hearing it after he slipped and fell in the shower, injuring his surgically repaired right ankle and missing his second straight game for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Freak accident, you can’t really make it up, crazy,” Freeman said Tuesday.
The incident happened at home Sunday morning, an off day for the World Series champions.
“Halfway through my morning coffee I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just shower to get ready for the day' and next thing I know I’m down in the bathtub," he said. “It’s a great mental picture if you guys want to think about it. Big guy falling all over the place.”
Freeman's wife, Chelsea, relayed the news to the first baseman's father.
“He was like, ‘Are you serious?’” Freeman said. “Chelsea actually made the joke, ‘I thought I was going to deal with this when you’re 70, not when you’re 35.’”
Even his 4-year-old son, Brandon, piled on, saying, “Daddy, you got another boo-boo.”
Freeman sprained his right ankle on a play at first base in late September and struggled in the first two rounds of the postseason, but it was hardly evident during the World Series. He homered in the first four games and had 12 RBIs as the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games.
He had debridement surgery in December to remove loose bodies in the ankle.
His wife had to drive him to Dodger Stadium on Sunday for a three-hour treatment session. By the time it was over, he was able to drive himself home. An X-ray showed no serious damage.
“That was a big relief,” he said. "I just kind of irritated everything again. I was a little sore.”
Freeman felt fortunate, given that the combination shower-tub has a glass door.
“It could have been much worse,” he said. “I could have hit my head.”
The World Series MVP is 3 for 12 with two home runs and four RBIs to start the season. He was scratched from the Dodgers’ season-opening game in Tokyo because of left rib discomfort.
Freeman, a hitting purist, said when he returns he won't be jumping on the torpedo bat trend.
“I’ve swung the same bat for 16 years, I will not be changing,” he said. “I do not look down on anybody. If it’s legal you can do whatever you want. If it works for the guys, then go for it. I know some of our guys are getting them.”
Freeman is hopeful he can return for Wednesday's series finale against his old team, the Atlanta Braves.
Back at home, a plumber arrived Tuesday to repair a leaking handle in that shower.
“I’m not going to use that one again,” Freeman said. “I’m 0 for 1 on that shower.”
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