Freddie Freeman opens up on injury that kept him out of Tokyo Series Game 1 against Cubs

There is no denying that Freddie Freeman is one of the best baseball players of his generation. A two-time World Series champion, Freeman has remained incredibly productive even now that he is 35 years old. His impact on the Los Angeles Dodgers cannot be understated, however, he his productivity is only helpful when he is healthy and in the lineup.

Unfortunately for Freddie Freeman, injuries have become a regular part of his game, which is understable given the fact that he is entering his 16th season in Major League Baseball. This came into play during the Los Angeles Dodgers' first game of the year as he was scratched from the lineup as he dealt with "left rib discomfort."

In a video shared by the Los Angeles Times, the eight-time All-Star spoke about the injury that kept him out of Game 1 of the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs. While he did not play in the first matchup, the first baseman remains optimistic that he will be able to get into the final game of the series on Wednesday.

"Yeah, last round of batting practice, just kind of felt it in the same spot as the playoffs... I couldn't walk last year, this is not as bad. Absolutely not. They told me I've got a 75% chance of playing tomorrow, so we'll see," Freeman explained to reporters inside the team's locker room.

It's an unfortunate setback for the future Hall of Famer as the regular season approaches. Last postseason, Freddie Freeman cemented himself in Dodgers history thanks to his heroics in the playoffs. Even though he was dealing with an ankle injury that limited his mobility, Freeman was able to hit a now-iconic wallk-off grand slam against the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series.

"I did a lot of treatment right when I came in after bp. We were trying to get myself able to play and I was going to go for it and then Doc came in, Andrew came in, Brandon came in and I was overruled. It was probably smart. Obviously better than last year. Last year I needed help to get to my car," Freeman continued.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' versatility could allow the team to be cautious with Freddie Freeman's injury

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series this season, however, if they are going to defend their crown, health might be their biggest obstacle. Aside from Freddie Freeman, the team is already without a number of stars such as Mookie Betts, Tony Gonsolin, and Clayton Kershaw.

Luckily for the Dodgers, if they opt to keep Freeman sidelined for the second game of the Tokyo Series, they have a number of flexible players on the roster that can fill the void. Versatile veterans such as Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez give manager Dave Roberts and opportunity to tinker with the roster and preserve Freeman for the long season ahead.