Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman is away from the team to be with his family and sick 3-year-old son

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is away from the team to be with his family and son, who is in the hospital this week.

Freeman was scratched from the Dodgers’ lineup against the Houston Astros on Friday night so he could return home to Southern California. Freeman’s wife, Chelsea, wrote on her Instagram Story on Thursday that their 3-year-old son, Maximus, was in the hospital earlier this week.

Freeman was seen running out of the Dodgers’ clubhouse after Tuesday night’s game in Los Angeles, and he and his wife spent Wednesday night in the emergency room with Maximus, by The Los Angeles Times. Chelsea said Maximus has transient synovitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the hip joint and is something often seen in young children. Details about his condition are not known.

It’s unclear how long Freeman will be away from the Dodgers, but Roberts doesn’t expect him to travel back to Houston.

Freeman, an eight-time All-Star, is in his third season with the Dodgers this summer. He is batting .288 and has 16 home runs with 67 RBI in 104 games.

Without Freeman, the Dodgers lost to the Astros 5-0 on Friday night in the first game of their three-game series. Framber Valdez struck out 10 batters in his six-plus innings on the mound for the Astros, and both Alex Bregman and Jon Singleton hit home runs early in the shutout victory. The Dodgers, who are 62-43, have a 6.5-game lead in the NL West.