Dodgers star Freddie Freeman OK after scary tumble into dugout

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Freeman kept his eye on the ball as he tracked a foul pop-up at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday -- but he forgot to keep his eye on the visitors’ dugout.

The Dodgers’ first baseman took a nasty fall into the Kansas City Royals’ dugout while trying to make the catch -- tumbling down the steps onto the concrete below, where cameramen were positioned -- but he was not seriously injured, MLB.com reported.

Isaac Collins hit a high foul ball to the right side of the infield with one out in the top of the eighth inning. Freeman tracked the ball and reached the warning track by the Royals’ dugout. But when he reached out to catch the ball, Freeman fell into area of the dugout called the camera well, MLB.com reported.

Other than experiencing soreness in his shoulder, hand, knee and foot, Freeman was not seriously injured as the Dodgers secured a 4-2 victory minutes later.

“I was going to lean against the rail to catch the ball,” Freeman said. “And obviously, there was no rail.”

Manager Dave Roberts called the fall “very scary visually.”

“I didn’t really get a good look at it,” Roberts told reporters. I think for right now, (he is) in good spirits, which I think is a good sign. Just kind of total body soreness right now.”

Freeman returned to his position after falling, but the soreness set in as the Dodgers batted in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Roberts sent up Tommy Edman to pinch-hit for Freeman in the eighth, and Kiké Hernández replaced him at first base in the top of the ninth, according to MLB.com.

Freeman told reporters that his dugout tumble was not an isolated incident. He said that when he played for the Atlanta Braves, he flipped awkwardly over a railing and landed on some seats in a game against Arizona.

He stayed in that game, too, MLB.com reported.

“Not my first time,” Freeman told reporters. “I didn’t catch that one either.”

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