Mookie Betts’ second trip to Boston as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers could be on hold.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced his shortstop may not play the opener of LA’s highly anticipated weekend series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday.
Betts, of course, started his career with the Red Sox and played his first six seasons in Boston. He still ranks 10th in the franchise’s illustrious history in bWAR (42.5) and is ninth in OPS (.893) and also won AL MVP in 2018, helping the Red Sox win the World Series.
He was traded to LA on Feb. 10, 2020 and pushed the Dodgers to two World Series in his six seasons in Southern California. Betts is slashing .238/.309/.370 with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs in 94 games for the Dodgers this year.
Why May Mookie Betts Miss Friday Night’s Game in Boston?
Despite the Dodgers’ NL West-best record of 60-43, their shortstop is scuffling over their past 30 games.
Betts is slashing just .179/.214/.276 with just two homers and 10 RBIs and has nearly as many strikeouts (20) as hits (22) over LA’s past 30 games. The Dodgers are 17-13 in that span but are just 4-11 in their past 15 games.
So it was not necessarily surprising to learn Betts would get a day off Friday — in what would end up being consecutive days off since LA is off Thursday. But what was surprising was the fact Roberts could miss the game due to a personal issue that Betts has been going through.
âThere might be some things going on that he might not be around, that heâs got to deal with personally,â Roberts said after LA’s 4-3 walk-off win over the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. âEverything is okay with him, but yeah, weâll see.â
Roberts gave no indication the personal issue would linger beyond Friday’s a game, though his “we’ll see” clearly shows the uncertainty.
That the Dodgers may not have Betts at Fenway Park is especially disappointing for Dodgers fans, since he boasts a career .934 OPS at the home of the Red Sox with 66 homers, 257 RBIs and 323 runs scored in 397 games.
In his first three games at Fenway with the Dodgers on Aug. 25-27, 2023, Betts carried LA by going 7 for 15 with five runs scored, two doubles and a home run. The Dodgers won two of three games.
What Did Dave Roberts Say About Shohei Ohtani After Wednesday’s Win?
Roberts lauded Tyler Glasnow, who was great again in his second big-league start off the injured list Wednesday. Glasnow allowed just three hits and one run while striking out 12 over seven innings, even though he picked up yet another no-decision — his sixth of the year.
“Gosh, he was really good,” Roberts said of Glasnow.
With Glasnow built up, the Dodgers’ starting rotation is as healthy as it has been in months — especially with Blake Snell slated to make a rehab start in Reno for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday.
So all eyes will turn to Shohei Ohtani’s next start, which Roberts said would be Wednesday in Cincinnati. That would give Ohtani nine days between starts, since he pitched Monday against the Twins.
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