LOS ANGELES – Freddie Freeman is still dealing with the sprained right ankle he suffered on September 26, but Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts apparently has no doubts about the first baseman’s availability for Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday.

“I expect him to be in the lineup,” Roberts said before Friday’s pre-NLDS practice. ‘We’ll probably know what that looks like when we see him there. But with Freddie, I have no doubt he will be ready to go.”

Freeman hit the batting cages and took at-bats in an intrasquad scrimmage at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. He didn’t run the bases or play defense at the time, but Roberts nonetheless called it “a good step forward.”

On Friday, Freeman picked up a handful of ground balls at first base and briefly ran around the bases, including a near-sprint from first to third base. Freeman was still visibly feeling the tenderness of his ankle, but said “the swelling has gone down a lot over the last eight days.”

“I feel good,” Freeman said. “Good enough.”

Given the presence of Shohei Ohtani as designated hitter, Freeman must take the field to participate in this series. If he can’t go, the Dodgers will move Max Muncy from third to first base and start Enrique Hernandez at Muncy’s original position.

But that doesn’t seem to be an option at the moment.

“I really don’t want to let my mind wander there,” Roberts said.

Running the bases and participating in defensive drills qualified as the last step Freeman thought he needed to clear before declaring himself ready. While covering first base, he pushed off as hard as he could with his right foot to test the ankle and said he felt “good enough.” He expects to feel the most pain while slowing down on the bases.

“They told me this is a four to six week IL period,” Freeman said. “And I’m going to try to do this and play in a week.”