Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman, like many of his teammates, hopes to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. However, Freeman’s status for the WBC is currently up in the air.
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The Dodgers first baseman is currently dealing with a “little bit of a health issue” resulting from the wear and tear of a long season, according to Greg Hamilton and Ernie Whitt of Baseball Canada.
Hamilton added: “He does want to do it, he really wants to play.”
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It’s unclear the details behind Freeman’s health problems, but it’s concerning enough to put his status for Team Canada in question.
The Dodgers star was hampered by injury throughout 2025 after undergoing offseason surgery on his right ankle. Freeman played through the 2024 postseason on a broken ankle, which typically takes 4-6 weeks to recovery from.
Instead, the first baseman played through the injury in order to help the Dodgers secure the first title of their back-to-back championship run. The ramifications of the ankle injury continued for Freeman in 2025.
After a slip and fall in the shower, Freeman ended up aggravating his ankle and ended up on the injured list as he recovered. Towards the end of the season, Freeman also dealt with a minor quad issue but he continued to manage his injuries and never missed an extended period of time.
As the Dodgers prepare to chase a three-peat in 2026, several of LA’s stars will compete in the World Baseball Classic throughout the month of March. Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith have confirmed they will be playing in the tournament.
Roki Sasaki and Andy Pages are on preliminary rosters for their respective countries, and are both expected to compete. In terms of Freeman, he will have to decide what is best as the WBC culminates just over a week before the 2026 MLB season begins.
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