Freeman went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Wednesday night and is 2-for-25 (.080) to open the 2016 season. Kelly Johnson will start at first base and hit cleanup against Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg.
Buster Posey (foot) is back in the Giants' starting lineup Thursday afternoon against the Rockies.
Posey will catch and bat third versus Colorado left-hander Jorge De La Rosa after missing two games with a bruised right foot. Trevor Brown is on the bench.
Kelby Tomlinson will start at second base and bat ninth against Rockies lefty Jorge De La Rosa. Panik has four extra-base hits and seven RBI in nine games this season.
Stephen Strasburg (flu) is starting as hoped on Thursday afternoon against the Braves.
Strasburg had to be scratched from his originally scheduled start on Wednesday night because of some lingering flu-like symptoms. He has a great matchup Thursday against a Braves lineup that features Kelly Johnson batting cleanup. Strasburg dialed up six innings of one-run ball versus Atlanta last week.
Charlie Blackmon is out of the Rockies' starting lineup Thursday afternoon against the Giants.
Blackmon made an early exit from Wednesday's game with an apparent injury. There should be a status update from the Rockies ahead of the 3:10 p.m. ET first pitch.
Nick Hundley is out of the Rockies' lineup Thursday.
Nick Groke of the Denver Post says Hundley took a "gnarly" foul tip off his mask on Wednesday night. He may be going through MLB's concussion protocol.
Cozart made an early exit from Monday's series opener against the Cubs with tightness in his lower right quad and will now miss Thursday's series finale. Eugenio Suarez is starting at shortstop and Jordan Pacheco is playing third base versus Cubs righty Jason Hammel.