Mookie Betts exited today’s 10-5 Dodgers win over the Nationals in the middle of the first inning due to what the team announced as pain in the shortstop’s right lower back area. In the top of the first, Betts walked and later scored on Freddie Freeman‘s two-run double, but the run around the basepaths apparently aggravated something in his back. Miguel Rojas took over at shortstop for the bottom of the frame.
Postgame, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including The Athletic’s Katie Woo) that Betts would undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. Regardless of the test results, Betts will miss at least the next couple of games to recover, and Roberts said they’ll have another player on hand in Washington for tomorrow’s game just in case Betts is placed on the injured list.
While more will be known once the MRI is completed, Roberts described Betts’ issue as “more moderate than significant.” It therefore seems possible that Betts might be back in action after just a few days off. The Dodgers don’t play on Thursday, so the team could potentially hold Betts out until Friday to fully evaluate his situation, though clubs can only backdate an IL placement by as many as three days. An IL stint might be in the offing just to be cautious, as Los Angeles’ priority is obviously to keep the eight-time All-Star as healthy as possible for the full season and what the Dodgers expect to be another trip to the World Series.
Betts won his third ring with L.A. (and the fourth of his career) in 2025, though his offensive contributions were much more muted than normal. Betts posted a career-low 104 wRC+ while hitting .258/.326/.406 with 20 homers over 663 plate appearances, though he made up for this relatively modest production with spectacular defense in his first full year as the Dodgers’ shortstop.
A flu-like virus in the early part of the season and then a minor toe fracture in May (that didn’t require an IL stint) may have contributed to Betts’ lack of hitting in 2025, though the limited offense has carried into the early part of the 2026 season. Through today’s game with the Nats, Betts is hitting .179/.281/.429 with two home runs in 32 PA.
Even with Betts not heating up yet, the Dodgers are still 6-2 and look well on their way to another playoff appearance. While Betts is out (for any length of time), Rojas and Alex Freeland will fill in at shortstop. Hyeseong Kim is the likeliest candidate to be called up from Triple-A in the event of a Betts IL placement, as Kim would join Santiago Espinal as the utility infield options.
Get well soon Mookie, all of New England loves you!
Yikes, back. Hope it’s not too bad. We love ya in the Natti too for what you did for TJ. Class act.
Probably a short IL stint is in the cards. Dodgers need to keep him fresh for the long season.
Acoss – My understanding is he started feeling back discomfort after those two Yankee fans mugged him in the WS.
The hyperbole is already at a Fever Pitch in this young season
Even as a Dodger, Mookie is out here being a Yankee Killer, and that will always make Red Sox fans love him lol
If anyone understand’s Robert’s interpretation of moderate vs significant let me know. Hoping it’s minor.
I don’t honestly understand why anyone gets so wrapped up in these words, as if they contain a secret message. They’ll run some tests and then maybe they’ll know more. Until then, they’re just going by how the player says he is feeling. It’s subjective. You know, like those pain charts on the wall of every doctor’s office?
🫣
He walked off the field after scoring without any noticeable special effort so with any luck it’s just a minor issue.
His illness at the start of last season was probably a case of norovirus. It was going around big time for then.
Knowing Doc Roberts and how he always downplays injuries wouldn’t be surprised if he’s out until All Star Break.
It isn’t the job of “Doc Roberts“ to evaluate injuries.
I didn’t say it was
Actually, you did. He can’t up play or downplay injuries, because he doesn’t evaluate injuries. Nor can he or anyone else know much about this one at this point that would change the message. Nor is the messaging on them his responsibility. He speaks for the front office. No more, no less.
Other than that, spot on!
If it were knee, ankle, or something Id say walking off carries a bit more significance. With back injuries a player is usually going to be walking off. Not walking off from a back injury is most often a medical emergency.
Hopefully he just has a strain. Not only do I not want to see someone else injured the game and the fans suffer when the best players are not playimg.
Lower back issues often inflame the sciatic nerve, and if that happens, the pain shoots down your leg and it can take weeks to recover fully. Been there.
@Blue Im not denying back problems can be brutal. Im saying with back injuries I dont think a player walking off is as telling as it is with some other injuries. A player could slip a disc and still walk off.
Fair enough, but the initial reports called it lower back pain. The next day it was diagnosed as an oblique strain, which is to the muscles on the sides of the abdominal area. Either way, it’s a 4-6 week recovery on average.
Its not assuring to hear of back or oblique injuries. It likely being a 4-6 week recovery is the reason I put little stock in a player walking off after these type of injuries. More often than not they ll walk off. If a player is grabbing knee or ankle then gets up and is able to walk off, thats when I see it as being reassuring.
Maybe a 33 year old ss should switch with the 24 year old 2B
Let him get his gold glove at ss first
Do they make gold back braces/supports?
Or maybe no. I don’t see what your comment has to do with his injury.
Ss is a young man’s game
It’s hard out here for us old guys. I hurt my back sneezing last year.
I covered a class for our basketball coach this year. I was walking around chatting with the kids when one of them yelled DUCK. Shrunk my head down felt my whole body crack from neck to my knees.
6-2 record doesn’t portend didilly-squat, much less a playoff appearance. Small Sample Size applies here. Putting too many damn carts in front of the damn horse.
13 years isn’t really a small sample size….
I’d say even if their record was 2-6 they can still be penciled in for a playoff spot. That was the projection pre-season, backed up by the previous two season’s results, and the upgrades in the offseason.
Is there any projection from anyone credible that doesn’t predict them making the playoffs this season?
Wong has massively outperformed him this year, 50% higher WAR. What a steal of a trade!
Saw this from David Laurila of Fangraphs Sunday Notes piece.
Betts with BOS: 135 wRC+, 464 K’s, 371 BB
Betts with LAD: 137 wRC+, 464 K’s, 368 BB
I always love those random stats.
Wishing a speedy recovery to a great player and an impossible guy to root against!
padre – Great stats! It’s a trip when large numbers are amazingly consistent.
But what are his bowling averages for both teams?