Mookie Betts exited early Saturday with an apparent injury, and the Dodgers quickly made a major announcement after the sudden in-game scare.
The eight-time All-Star shortstop and former outfielder was pulled after just the first inning of Saturday’s 10-5 win over the Washington Nationals, per ESPN. The Dodgers announced that the cause was right lower back pain. Betts drew a walk in his lone plate appearance and scored on a Freddie Freeman two-run double but never returned to the game, raising concern inside the Dodgers dugout.
The Dodgers announced after the game that Betts, the 2018 American League MVP with the Boston Red Sox, would undergo an MRI on his back Saturday night. The 13-year veteran was expected to miss at least the next two games, manager Dave Roberts said, according to Dodgers correspondent Katie Woo of The Athletic.
Betts to Miss Time With Back Injury, Dodgers Announce
Roberts didn’t try to bury the concern over Betts entirely.
“[The injury is] certainly more moderate than significant,” Roberts told reporters, via the Associated Press. But he also made clear Betts won’t be playing in the near term. “I don’t want to get too far ahead with what we’re going to do, but we’ll huddle up and see if we need to get a player here,” Roberts added, per DodgerBlue.com‘s Matthew Moreno. “He certainly won’t be playing the next couple days, I assume.” Roberts said Betts would undergo the MRI Saturday night.
Roberts also shed some light on how the injury actually occurred. “It was running the bases, scoring on that double,” he said â meaning the injury either flared or appeared when Betts was rounding the bases and wasn’t relayed to Roberts until Betts was back in the dugout.
Dave Roberts Hints at IL Move, Hyeseong Kim Likely Called Up
Whether Betts lands on the injured list will depend on Saturday night’s MRI results, but Roberts signaled the Dodgers are already thinking ahead on roster moves. New York Post beat writer Jack Harris reported that, “whether or not Betts goes on the IL will depend on his MRI results, but Dave Roberts said they will consider bringing a player here tomorrow in case. Hyeseong Kim would be the likely choice for that.”
Kim, 27, is in the second year of his $12.5 million deal with the Dodgers and was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City before Opening Day after losing out on a roster spot to Alex Freeland. Per Dodger Blue‘s Matt Borelli, Roberts explained at the time that he wanted Kim getting everyday reps at multiple positions in the minors.
What Comes Next for the Dodgers â and Betts
The Dodgers travel to Toronto after Sunday’s series finale against the Nationals, where they’ll face the Blue Jays on artificial turf â not ideal conditions for a player working through lower back pain. Roberts made no promises about that series.
Per DodgerBlue, Roberts said:
“Disappointed for him because we’re sort of starting to get going a little bit. The way he’s playing defense, he’s a big part of what we do. Any time you miss, it’s going to take some time to kind of get your footing. So disappointed for him but hopeful it’s not long-term,” Roberts said, as quoted by DodgerBlue‘s Moreno.
Betts, 33, is in his second full season at shortstop and was hitting .179 entering Saturday, with two home runs and seven RBI, a slow offensive start, though his defense had been typically excellent. He was coming off a strong Friday, hitting a go-ahead two-run homer. Betts hasn’t dealt with a back issue since 2021, and back injuries are notoriously unpredictable. The MRI results, expected later Saturday night, will tell the real story.
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