Cardinals' Freese to open season on DL
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St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese will start the season on the disabled list because of a lower back strain.
The move is retroactive to March 23, which will make him eligible to return April 7.
Freese has been battling back pain since March 4 when he fell into the seats while chasing a foul pop. He had an MRI exam on Monday and also received an injection for inflammation in the back.
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The Cardinals can keep Freese in Florida during the first week of the regular season. He could join the team when it opens the home schedule on April 8 against Cincinnati.
Freese was selected to his first All-Star team last year and batted .293 with 20 homers and 79 runs batted in over a career-high 144 games. The 2011 NLCS and World Series MVP has had 30 at-bats this spring and is hitting .267 with a pair of homers and five runs batted in.