The Dodgers announced this morning that they’ve placed veteran star Mookie Betts on the 10-day injured list. Jack Harris of the California Post relays that, according to manager Dave Roberts, Betts has suffered an oblique strain. Utility man Hyeseong Kim was recalled from the minors in a corresponding move. Maddie Lee of the LA Times first reported that the club was likely to recall Kim earlier this morning, though she noted that they intended to check in with Betts about the status of his back before doing so.
It’s hard to know how long Betts will be sidelined until the Dodgers give a more firm timeline, but oblique strains are notoriously finicky for position players due to the rotational nature of hitting. Even the most minor of oblique strains can require weeks on the shelf thanks to the risk of re-injury, so it’s entirely possible that the Dodgers will be without their star shortstop until sometime in May. A more significant oblique strain could take significantly longer, and a rehab assignment would further push Betts’s timeline back. The good news, however, is that The Athletic’s Katie Woo writes that Roberts didn’t put an immediate timeline on the veteran’s recovery window but that the team is hopeful he could be back before the standard 4-6 week recovery timeline.
Regardless of how long it takes for Betts to return, it goes without saying that losing him is a real blow. The 33-year-old is coming off a down 2025 season where he posted a wRC+ of just 104, but he’s managed to make himself into a solid defensive shortstop and certainly has the ability needed to return to form offensively this year if his health permits it. The loss of Betts’s bat is something the club can paper over in the short-term thanks to the other stars in the lineup and a strong early-season performance from Andy Pages, but it’s going to be harder to stomach his absence from a defensive perspective.
In the past, Miguel Rojas has been tapped to handle shortstop for the Dodgers when Betts has been injured. That still appears to be the case for now, as Rojas is slated to fill in at shortstop during today’s game against lefty Foster Griffin. With that said, Rojas has played the position with less and less frequency over the past few years and is now 37 years old. If the Dodgers find that he’s lost a step defensively at the position, perhaps Kim could be another option given his experience at shortstop for the club last year. MLB.com’s Sonja Chen reports that Kim and Rojas are expected to share shortstop, with prospect Alex Freeland continuing to mostly handle second base. Freeland has more than 3000 innings of experience at the position in the minors but has yet to play the position in the majors.
As for Kim, the 27-year-old has hit a robust .346/.438/.385 in six games at Triple-A since the Dodgers’ surprising decision to option him to the minors for the start of the season, and his 95 wRC+ in 71 games for L.A. last year was more than acceptable for a utility player. Given that the Dodgers have shown a preference for playing both Rojas and Santiago Espinal against primarily left-handed pitching, that paves the way for Kim to get frequent reps against right-handed pitching while Betts is on the shelf as the team’s shortstop next to Freeland at second base. Against lefties, Rojas at shortstop and Espinal at second base seems to be the likely lineup of choice, though the Dodgers could also consider giving Max Muncy a breather to get Freeland (or Kim) in the lineup against a southpaw or two. While Freeland has been protected from lefties to this point in his young MLB career, he is a switch-hitter whose development could benefit from taking extra reps on his weaker side at the big league level.
Has Mookie officially reached the declining years?
Dodgers hope not. With deferrals, they’ll be paying him through his age 52 year. It ends with a $11M payment in 2044. Then again, that’s all just “walking around money” for the ownership group.
Humbb,
Considering the Dodgers have won three world series since he’s been on the team, he’s more than satisfied their expectations for his contract as a whole.
Andrew Friedman said that once they realized what they had in Mookie, they accelerated their baseball timeline and got aggressive in acquiring high end talent to place around him to maximize their championship window.
Pretty sure regardless of what happens from this moment forward, they would pay him with a huge smile for years to come.
Yep and rest assured after the next labor agreement the days of Dodgers doing deferrals to circumvent the luxury tax are ovah! They will be just another team with payroll limitations.
I rest, assured that you sound bitter.
@Anthony Nothing in the next CBA is going to change in regards to deferrals. They are funded annually as the $ is deferred and count accordingly against the luxury tax.
Unless the plan on addressing the financial iliteracy of some of their fans there is nothing to address.
Anthony, rest assured that the Dodgers have positioned themselves to be ultra competitive regardless of what CBA changes might take place.
Btw, Milwaukee seems to be doing pretty decent this year after leading the league in wins last year. Apparently they don’t understand this “lower payroll teams can’t be great” theme you’re rolling with.
Funny, isn’t it? Of all the provisions likely to be changed in the next CBA, the rules on deferred salaries are right at the bottom of the list. This is one of the few areas where both owners and players seem to agree, consistently, year after year. I’m beginning to believe that Barnum was a pessimist. Suckers are born way more often than every minute.
The owners are focused on fixing costs, so franchise values rise in value faster.
Players are focused on letting the rising tide raise all the ships.
Cheap owners are focused on taking what they can however they can.
A fair appraisal, though I’d add the friendly amendment that the owners’ goal of holding down costs also increases their operating profits. You’d have to be a fly on the wall when the 30 owners meet to know the ways they differ on how to achieve increased profits, but I doubt deferred salaries rate very high on the agenda for any of them. My guess is the fly would hear a lot more from the smaller-market teams about sharing more revenue and not necessarily because they want to make their teams more competitive in the game, but for that other reason.
@humbb The Dodgers hope not because he’s a great player. I 100% guarantee you it’s not because they are invested in a contract that will pay him well into his retirement. They’d have paid that out regardless if he declines, improves or stays status quo.
I’d bet you hope the Dodgers will rue the day they pay a guy not playing for them $11m, but your bloodlust will never be satiated because $11m might as well be $11 to that organization, especially in 2044.
Yes, but his declining years could still be 0.280, 90-25-90-10 with solid defense at a premium position. So while his days of 30 homers, a 0.300 average and 20 steals are probably over, he still would be the best or second best player on many other teams.
Probably 3rd on a good team
He reached it a couple of seasons ago but the front office and fans refuse to accept it. He needs to be moved down in the lineup when he returns.
No he’s just now entering his prime… bowling years
Playing ahortstop takes its toll on the body. Lets see how this develops.
Wouldn’t expect to see him back before the allstar break. I just hope Kim is not the bitter type who comes up and spites the Dodgers for cutting him
Congratulations, you win today’s frowny face.
🙁
With Dumb Leaf Cluster
Why would Kim ever sandbag in this scenario?
He most certainly wants to play well in hopes of maybe staying in the majors this time. In addition, he probably wants to try to secure another MLB contract after the current one runs out, and he’ll have a hard time doing that from the minors.
The worst part of comments like this is what they assume about the player. Kim is noted for his work ethic and attitude. He also won a ring in his first season in MLB. The idea that maybe he harbors a grudge against his team for not making the roster out of Spring Training is nuts.
Luckily, there is no primadonna on this team.
Cheese,
Good thing the Dodgers are excellent at communicating with their players, letting them know exactly where they stand at any given time.
Kim knows why they sent him to AAA, and it’s been proven the correct move. He was hot in spring, and wasn’t going to get consistent at bats and playing time early in the season. He’s taken that hot bat to the minors and now brings that hot bat to the big club.
This has been stated by numerous players, and one of the reasons players want to play for the organization. It’s almost like they know what they’re doing.
@cheese Have you read one thing he’s posted on social media lately? He’s about as far from bitter as you can get. He’s literally apologized for not making the team and promised to work as hard as he could to make it back and make his country proud.
Bitter to the point of tanking? No chance in hell.
Andy
Which is why everyone in the organization loves the guy. He has an infectious attitude and is a very good guy. Every player that they show taking to him is always smiling and laughing. He knows he belongs.
Everyone is so focused on today. The organization does everything to win today, while doing their best to ensure they are set up for winning in the future.
Dumb take, Slider.
2-4 with a walk. And played solid defence.
Obviously extremely bitter.
Oh no.
The oldest average age of any roster in the league. Only Father Time can defeat this budding dynasty.
@fried
Fried says budding.
What about winning 50% of World Series over the last 6 seasons, making the World Series in 56% of the last 9 and 13 consecutive playoff appearances is not dynastic to you already?
They’d need to win this year, or 3 in 4 years.
2024 was your first championship in 36 years.
You can count the Covid season in your worldview if you want, but some don’t subscribe.
Guggenheim took 13 years to deliver an actual championship team.
Do with that info what you like. I made a benign comment. I’m not here to argue, although an argument seems to be what you’re looking for judging by some of your posts.
Cheers to baseball 🍻
1st ballot HOFer
But
33 yrs old, injury prone, career low .258 last season and 7 more yrs on his deal… enjoy it LA
Mookie’s latest world championship ring fits his middle finger, pointed at you.
Hard to enjoy three rings when Verdugo, Downs and Wong are tearing up the league
$220 mil left on mookie contract
Matches his batting avg from 2025 playoffs .220
You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the 2.5 rings when they’re paying off a billion $ in deferrals for the next 2 decades
Weak minded haters are a dime a dozen.
You’re really hung up on batting average, aren’t you?
Hank
He also had 0 hr last postseason
Not tryna hate. Great player. Won in boston. Won in LA
Just sayin
He’s got a long 7 yrs to go
Salem, he made an unassisted double play at shortstop to seal the world series.
Winning players find ways to win.
You could also look at OPS+, wRC+, and OPS. All were career lows last season and so far this season. Still a very good and selfless player. A future HOF player. Just not the 30 year old Mookie anymore.
Not to nit pick but Mookie had to throw the ball to Freddie to complete the double play.
Rickey
True.
Good thing Mookie wasn’t playing tonight. That was brutal.
They’ll be paying off the deferrals with the money that’s already been set aside in investments to cover the deferral amounts.
For the umpteenth time for those who think some reckoning is coming: it’s not happening. The deferrals aren’t going to hamstring the Dodgers’ future, because they’re fully funded before they even kick in.
You do realize the Guggenheim partners have that money and then some. I’m sure they aren’t worried about it one bit.
@salem
ah but the deferrals are already going to be paid by the time those years roll around.
See, he’s only taking part of his salary now. The rest goes into a fund for later. The deferred money is paid every year, but held to give him for later. So when Ohtani gets his $70m, he gets $2m cash and at the same time, $68m goes into his deferral fund. The Dodgers don’t just skip paying him until the deferrals come due. It’s already been paid.
Don’t you just love it when you learn something?
Just because they’ve heard it 100,000 times doesn’t mean they’ve learned a damn thing.
Heal quick Mookie
Oblique injuries can be hard to predict hopefully he’s out just the ten days.
There’s a 0% chance that Mookie will be back in 10 days; I would say it’s about an 80% chance he’s gone until May.
An easy bet since May is only three weeks away and injuries of this kind usually take a month or more to heal.
I want to know when obliques became the norm. I don’t remember obliques being a problem in the late 1900s.
Were people playing through them?
Maybe one of those injuries that once were called something else and have since been reclassified as a more specific diagnosis, such as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Until a few years ago, it was probably called a pinched nerve.
Hard to predict would be an understatement for this type of injury.
Whenever Tommy Edman returns from IL, that’ll also help the Dodgers at SS and 2B.
It’s still early in the season and not doubting the injury. HOWEVER, sitting a player of Betts caliber on another team would be a big deal. I’m not a hater of the Dodgers, they have the BEST supporting cast, behind the scenes folks based on their might. They have maneuvered within the rules, EVERY MLB TEAM including mine “Go Braves” should do the same. The disparity is evident, Hence the impending Lockout. Enjoy the ‘26 season Y’all, Fingers crossed for baseball in 2027. To Me anyway, Baseball is the greatest and the most difficult game there is.
Any player on any team with this type of oblique injury is going on the IL. This situation isn’t unique to Mookie or the Dodgers.
Ohtani/freeman/smith/tucker is still better than the heart of any other team’s lineup
At double the price of the heart of any other team’s lineup. Congrats.
oilf
“At double the price of the heart of any other team’s lineup. Congrats.”
“Congrats” is a weird sentiment.
As a fan of the Dodgers, I’d much rather see those tens of millions going to players than going to the owners.
Do you not agree?
What would you do with that money if you owned the Dodgers?
It’s a pretty big deal here too. They’re going from Betts to a combo of Rojas, Kim, and maybe Freeland.
Everyone here acting like 33 yr 77 War hof Betts who just switched to playing GG caliber SS is done. Any team with a chance to win would be more than happy to replace their SS with him
The Royals would turn down the offer, and the Brewers, Guardians, and Rays wouldn’t be able to afford him.
Just about any other contender, probably…
I said teams with a chance of winning lol
I don’t think any team is eager to have a 33 year old who will get you 15 homers while batting .250 and 200 million on his contract.
Mookie has never hit .250 or had as little as 15 HRS in a season. Also he’s owed 232 mil not 200.
He’s well on his way.
Stop liking your own post. So is every single player in mlb. We’re 8 games into a 162 game season.
Max Muncy is obese!
The Dogers Max Muncy – not the A’s Max Muncy.
I’m still impressed that Albert Pujols once managed to return from an oblique strain in just 15 days without a rehab assignment while continuing to be as dominant as ever.
Then again, this is the same guy who came back from a fracture in 3 weeks and hit over 600 home runs with a bad heel. Maybe he really is a machine, or at least a cyborg…
or possibly a little assist from balco…