Dodgers lineup suffers major blow ahead of crucial elimination game

The Los Angeles Dodgers have their backs against the wall, entering Game 4 of their NLDS against the San Diego Padres needing a win to keep the quest for a World Series alive. San Diego has taken each of the last two games, taking advantage of L.A.'s injury-ravaged pitching staff and scoring a combined 16 runs. And with a bullpen game on deck for Dave Roberts and Co., the Dodgers are going to have to slug their way to a win if they want to avoid a second straight early exit.

That task got a lot harder shortly before first pitch of Game 4, as one of the team's biggest bats was scratched from the lineup due to injury.

Freddie Freeman scratched from Dodgers lineup ahead of NLDS Game 4 vs. Padres

The Dodgers will be without star first baseman Freddie Freeman on Wednesday night, as the former MVP continues to struggle through the ankle sprain he suffered on the final weekend of the regular season. Freeman has courageously tried to play through the pain, appearing in each of the first three games of this series and originally planning on starting Game 4. But he appeared to reaggravate the injury while landing on the first-base bag in Game 3, forcing Roberts to make a move.

Max Muncy will slide from third to first in Freeman's absence, with Enrique Hernandez drawing the start at the hot corner.

It's a huge blow to the Dodgers' chances, especially with Padres ace Dylan Cease on the mound for a second time in this series. Los Angeles has had a top-heavy lineup all year, going as far as Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freeman will carry them, and that's more or less been the case so far in October as well. With one-third of that trio now out, there's even more pressure on Ohtani and Betts to pull out of their postseason funk and propel their team to a win.