Shaq CRITICIZES Ben Simmons and Rudy Gobert
First baseman Freddie Freeman’s situation remains uncertain. Recently, Freeman has struggled at the plate, managing only one hit in his last 15 at-bats while playing with a sprained ankle. According to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mentioned that Freeman is expected to play on Sunday, but there’s more uncertainty regarding his availability for Saturday’s game. Roberts hasn’t decided if Freeman will start, and the decision will depend on how Freeman feels. If Freeman can’t play, Max Muncy would likely move to first base, allowing Enrique Hernandez to play third and Andy Pages to cover center field.
Other updates from playoff teams:
Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes, who has been out for almost a month due to a flexor strain, is getting closer to returning. According to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, Cortes has just one more step in his recovery, a live bullpen session. If he clears that, Cortes is expected to join the Yankees’ World Series roster if they advance. His return would boost their bullpen, especially since Ian Hamilton is out due to a calf injury. Currently, the Yankees only have two lefty relief options, Tim Hill and Tim Mayza, with Mayza struggling in the postseason.
For the Mets, manager Carlos Mendoza opted to start left-hander David Peterson in Game 5 instead of right-hander Kodai Senga. This could hint at a potential role change for Senga. According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Mendoza stated he’s open to using Senga in relief for Game 6 of the NLCS, even though Senga has only started in his MLB career. Senga could be a valuable multi-inning relief option, but he would need to address the control issues that led to him walking four batters and giving up three runs in just 1 1/3 innings earlier in the series against the Dodgers.
