Dodgers’ Freeman scratched from must-win G4

SAN DIEGO — First baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from Game 4 as the Los Angeles Dodgers try to avoid elimination in their National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres.

Freeman, who left Game 2 on Sunday after five innings due to discomfort in his sprained right ankle, was back in the lineup for Game 3 on Tuesday but was lifted for a pinch-runner after limping to first on an eighth-inning single.

The Dodgers made numerous changes to adjust for Freeman’s absence. Max Muncy is moving from third base to first base, Enrique Hernandez switches from center field to third base, and Chris Taylor will get the start in center field.

Reliever Ryan Brasier will start for the Dodgers on Wednesday night, with manager Dave Roberts saying Tuesday that the team would go with a bullpen game.

Brasier was announced as the starter about four hours before first pitch at Petco Park on Wednesday. The right-hander pitched in relief in Games 1 and 2 at Dodger Stadium, earning the win in a 7-5 victory in the series opener.

He was 1-0 with a 3.54 ERA in 29 games in the regular season, including four starts.

The Padres took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series with a 6-5 win Tuesday night highlighted by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s towering two-run homer, his fourth this postseason.

The Padres are turning to right-hander Dylan Cease to start on short rest. Cease started Game 1 on Saturday night and lasted just 3⅓ innings while giving up five runs and didn’t factor in the decision.

Cease gave up Shohei Ohtani‘s tying three-run homer in the second inning in the slugger’s highly anticipated playoff debut for the Dodgers. Ohtani is 2-for-11 with six strikeouts since that home run.

Cease was 14-11 with a 3.74 ERA in the regular season. He threw his first no-hitter on July 25 in a 3-0 win at Washington. He was obtained in a multiplayer trade with the Chicago White Sox during spring training.

Padres manager Mike Shildt said Yu Darvish would start Game 5 if the Dodgers extend the series. If the Padres win Wednesday night, Darvish would start Game 1 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday.

“We’d love to name Yu the Game 1 starter,” Shildt said.

The Dodgers swept the Padres in the NLDS in the Texas playoff bubble in 2020. The Padres beat the Dodgers 3-1 in the 2022 NLDS.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.