LOS ANGELES – Freddie Freeman is back in the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers a night after a frightening spill down the stairs into the visitors’ dugout.
He’ll be batting cleanup when the Dodgers open their four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium starting Thursday, Aug. 13.
“He just texted me this morning and said he was good to go,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the media before the game. “A little sore, but won’t compromise his performance today. Which was very encouraging.”
Freeman fell while chasing a foul ball in the top of the eighth inning and stayed in the game until the bottom of the eighth.
“Kneecaps are sore, shoulders are sore, wrist is sore,” Freeman said Wednesday after the Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-2. “I mean, I fell.
“I didn’t hit my head, so that was the key part there.”
1 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
Guess what? The Dodgers don’t have MLB’s highest payroll!
Due to the team’s heavy use use of deferred contracts, MLB’s Labor Relations Department’s present-day salary calculations has the Mets at No. 1.
(Payrolls entering opening day)
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
1 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
Guess what? The Dodgers don’t have MLB’s highest payroll!
Due to the team’s heavy use use of deferred contracts, MLB’s Labor Relations Department’s present-day salary calculations has the Mets at No. 1.
(Payrolls entering opening day)
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
2 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
30) Cleveland Guardians — $69,984,029
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
3 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
29) Miami Marlins — $79,429,030
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
4 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
28) Chicago White Sox — $83,892,150
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
5 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
27) Washington Nationals — $87,955,033
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
6 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
26) Tampa Bay Rays — $89,632,420
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
7 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
25) Athletics — $91,849,688
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
8 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
24) Minnesota Twins — $96,726,784
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
9 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
23) St. Louis Cardinals — $98,115,902
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
10 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
22) Pittsburgh Pirates — $102,058,886
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
11 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
21) Colorado Rockies — $118,302,854
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
12 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
20) Cincinnati Reds — $124,308,099
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
13 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
19) Milwaukee Brewers — $125,467,605
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
14 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
18) Kansas City Royals — $141,244,816
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
15 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
17) Seattle Mariners — $160,726,794
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
16 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
16) Baltimore Orioles — $170,369,743
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
17 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
15) Los Angeles Angels — $179,002,696
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
18 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
14) Arizona Diamondbacks — $183,460,266
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
19 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
13) Texas Rangers — $183,539,230
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
20 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
12) Boston Red Sox — $198,883,374
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
21 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
11) San Francisco Giants — $200,800,003
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
22 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
10) Detroit Tigers — $209,415,401
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
23 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
9) Chicago Cubs — $220,693,350
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
24 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
8) San Diego Padres — $224,833,896
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
25 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
7) Houston Astros — $246,519,331
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
26 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
6) Atlanta Braves — $252,141,372
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
27 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
5) Toronto Blue Jays — $278,989,858
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
28 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
4) Philadelphia Phillies — $283,686,918
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
29 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
3) New York Yankees — $301,064,810
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
30 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
2) Los Angeles Dodgers — $322,385,057
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
31 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings from lowest to highest in 2026
1) New York Mets — $357,626,125
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
The soreness wasn’t enough to keep Freeman out of the lineup, and the Dodgers first baseman was set to bat cleanup Thursday, when the Dodgers open an important, four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Both teams are vying for the best record in the National League and for the No. 1 seed.
The lineup shows Freeman will be batting in the four-spot. He’s hitting .306 with a team-best 27 doubles and 15 homers and 74 RBIs, second only to Andy Pages.
“I think it’s one of those things where Freddie’s just of the mind where he just doesn’t give himself an out. He’s played through worse and he’s signed up to play and there’s just no other options,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers appear to be back on track after sweeping three games from the Royals and winning four of their last five games. That followed a stretch during which the Dodgers lost eight of nine games.
The Brewers had the best record in baseball, but they lost that distinction after getting swept by the San Diego Padres earlier this week.
Other notable changes in the Dodgers lineup: Mookie Betts and Max Muncy start the opener on the bench with Miguel Rojas getting the start at shortstop and Kiké Hernández getting the start at third base.
Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki will face off against Brewers starter Shane Drohan.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Freddie Freeman playing today? Injury update on Dodgers star after scary fall
