Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts will not suit up in the Tokyo Series as he recovers from an illness, manager Dave Roberts said Monday in Japan (Sunday night in America).
Betts has been sick for the last week and didn’t play in either of the team’s exhibition games this weekend.
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The plan was for Betts to work out with the team on Monday, and then they would reevaluate him. However, Betts didn’t end up working out Monday as he continues his recovery.
Roberts made it known all week that Betts’ status was in question. Now, a little more than 24 hours before Opening Day, it’s been confirmed that the Dodgers will be without their superstar shortstop for their opening series of the season.
Roberts said the Dodgers wanted to be careful with Betts, who lost close to 15 pounds dealing with the illness.
As he transitions to full-time shortstop, the team felt he would be more susceptible to a soft tissue injury following the illness. Thus, they’re proceeding with caution, and are considering sending him back home early to continue recovering.
“The thing is when you lose a lot of weight, when you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens a person up to soft-tissue injuries,” Roberts said. “We’re very mindful of that. So to take the next week … to build him back up, his strength, do some baseball activities to get ready for the home opener.”
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With Betts out for both games of the Tokyo Series on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Dodgers will turn to Miguel Rojas to play shortstop.
The veteran Rojas has stepped in for the Dodgers many times before.
Two offseasons ago, Rojas stepped in as the team’s everyday shortstop after Gavin Lux tore his ACL during spring training.
Last year, Rojas stepped in for Betts when he fractured his hand in June and went on the injured list for nearly two months.
Rojas has worked closely with Betts this offseason to help with his transition to shortstop. This week, though, it’ll be up to him to hold down the middle of the infield as L.A. opens their 2025 season and title defense.
As for Betts, he has about 10 days (considering it is March 17 in Japan and he’ll have to fly back) to get ready for the team’s March 27 domestic opener against the Detroit Tigers.
Betts will likely go straight back to Los Angeles and start preparing for his regular-season opener in a week and a half.
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