Originally published by DodgerBlue.com

Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are both in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup against the Los Angeles Angels for the first game of the exhibition Freeway Series.

Betts returned to Los Angeles ahead of his teammates due to feeling lingering effects from falling ill while the Dodgers were still in Arizona. He received medical clearance to travel with the Dodgers to Tokyo but failed to get himself into any physical condition to play in Japan.

Because of fatigue and sudden weight loss, the Dodgers were concerned about the potential for a soft-tissue injury, which prompted Betts to return home early.

Prior to Sunday, Betts last played in a game on March 9.

Freeman was in the Dodgers lineup for Opening Day before getting scratched because of left rib discomfort. The issue was in the same area Freeman suffered fractured rib cartilage on the eve of the 2024 postseason beginning.

He and the Dodgers nevertheless were optimistic the latest bout wasn’t as serious and there initially was hope Freeman would play in the second game against the Chicago Cubs.

But the Dodgers continued to err on the side of caution and held Freeman out for the entire Tokyo Series amid an expectation he would return to face the Angels. Freeman played in both Tokyo exhibition games before suffering the rib discomfort.

Exhibition Freeway Series

After playing at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers and Angels will wrap up their respective Spring Training schedules with back-to-back games in Anaheim, beginning Monday night.

Dodgers lineup

DH: Shohei Ohtani
SS: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
RF: Teoscar Hernández
3B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
LF: Michael Conforto
2B: Tommy Edman
CF: Andy Pages

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