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Mookie Betts

West Notes: Andujar, Sheets, Betts, Bradford, Sborz

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An oblique injury forced Miguel Andujar into an early exit from the Athletics’ 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays today.  A’s manager Mark Kotsay told MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos and other reports that Andujar is “most likely” going to be placed on the 10-day injured list, and Andujar will undergo tests on Monday to gauge the severity of the injury.

Now in his second season with the A’s, Andujar has a .296/.328/.402 slash line over 180 plate appearances, or roughly the same production he delivered in 319 PA in 2024.  Splitting his time mostly between left field and third base, Andujar has been a solid player for the Athletics, yet he might now face a lengthy absence given the uncertain nature of oblique-related injuries.  A more severe strain could put Andujar out for months, which would threaten his availability as a trade chip for the July 31 deadline.  Andujar is a free agent after the season, so he is a logical trade candidate for an A’s team that may be moving into seller mode in the wake of a miserable 3-21 stretch over their last 24 games.

More from around both the AL and West divisions…

  • Gavin Sheets also left the Padres’ 6-4 win over the Pirates in the fourth inning after a collision with the left field wall.  That pursuit of Adam Frazier’s home run ball resulted in multiple issues for Sheets, as manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including The Athletic’s Dennis Lin) that Sheets was being treated for a possible concussion, as well as a “head contusion coupled with a sore hip and a little bit of a jammed wrist and thumb.”  It certainly seems like an IL stint might be in the cards for Sheets, and since Jason Heyward is also sidelined with injury, the Padres’ top left field candidates on the big league roster would be rookie Brandon Lockridge and utilityman Tyler Wade.  Sheets signed a minor league deal with San Diego over the offseason and now looks like a coup for the club, as Sheets has delivered 11 homers and a .267/.323/.494 slash line over 192 PA as a left fielder, first baseman, and designated hitter.
  • Mookie Betts has now missed the Dodgers’ last three games due to a left toe fracture and won’t start on Monday either, as manager Dave Roberts told the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett and other reporters.  Betts is still considered day-to-day with the injury and might be back as early as Tuesday, since he was able to do some hitting in the batting cage and was walking in “pretty normal” fashion, as the shortstop told Plunkett and company.
  • Josh Sborz and Cody Bradford have yet to pitch during the 2025 season, but the Rangers pitchers each threw breaking balls for the first time in bullpen sessions over the few days, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters (including Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News).  Sborz underwent shoulder surgery last November and was projected to miss the first 2-3 months of the season, so his throwing progression puts him on pace for a return on the far end of that timeline.  Bochy said Sborz and Bradford are expected back roughly around the same time, as Bradford recovers from a sprain in his left elbow that arose during Spring Training.  Bradford is slated to throw two more bullpens before aiming for a live batting-practice session during the second week of June.

Mookie Betts Sustains Fractured Toe, Hoping To Avoid IL

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Mookie Betts didn’t play in the Dodgers’ 8-5 win over the Yankees on Friday, and the shortstop won’t be in the starting lineup for the remainder of the series due to a fracture in the tip of his second left toe.  Betts and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times) that a pinch-hit appearance during the series is still possible, and the hope is that Betts will be able to return to the lineup after a few days of rest.

Betts’ injury occurred off the field, as Betts said that on Wednesday night after returning home from the team’s road trip, he “was just going to the bathroom in the dark and hit my toe on a wall.”  It doesn’t appear as though a trip to the injured list is in the cards, as Betts said “it’s just pain,” and that with some rest to “get the swelling out, it’ll be all right.”

Thursday was an off-day for the Dodgers, so Betts had some immediate recuperation time in the aftermath of the injury.  However, Los Angeles doesn’t have another off-day until June 12, as yesterday’s tilt with New York began a stretch of 23 games in 24 days for the Dodgers.  Not that there’s ever a good time to suffer a fractured toe, but this busy schedule gives Betts little opportunity for more rest if his injury lingers.  The presence of Miguel Rojas, Hyeseong Kim, Tommy Edman, and Enrique Hernandez gives the Dodgers quite a bit of shortstop depth if Betts has to miss more time than expected, but obviously L.A. wants its eight-time All-Star back as soon as possible.

The toe fracture continues what has been a difficult season for Betts, and a down year by his high standards.  Betts lost over 15 pounds while dealing with a severe flu-like illness in March that cost him the chance to participate in the Dodgers’ season-opening Tokyo Series against the Cubs.  He was able to return to action for the Dodgers’ first North American game on March 27, but Betts has a modest .254/.338/.405 slash line and eight home runs over 234 plate appearances.

This still translates to an above-average 111 wRC+, and Betts has walked more times than he has struck out this season, so his batting eye and contact skills are still as sharp as ever.  The quality of that contact is well below Betts’ norms, as his hard-hit ball rates and barrel rates are only in the 25th percentile of all batters.  A .249 BABIP may also be a factor, and it could be that Betts’ efforts to fully transition to the shortstop position has taken some focus away from his hitting.  Defensively, Betts has shown his mettle (+2 Defensive Runs Saved and a +3 Outs Above Average) over 447 innings at the shortstop position this year.

Dodgers Notes: Kopech, Hernandez, Betts

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With the Dodgers set to participate in their second Opening Day of the year after sweeping the Cubs out of Tokyo earlier this month, the club provided a handful of health updates prior to today’s game. That includes an update that right-hander Michael Kopech provided to reporters, including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, regarding the right shoulder impingement that he was placed on the injured list with prior to the Tokyo Series.

According to Kopech, he wasn’t suffering from a specific shoulder injury this spring but instead that he ramped up too quickly early in camp as his forearm was ready for a heavier workload than his shoulder at the start of Spring Training. That issue has been resolved, however, and while a stomach bug slowed him earlier this month he’s now feeling good and has begun to ramp up. In terms of her overall arm health, Kopech even went as far as to indicate to reporters that his arm is feeling better than it was last season.

The right-hander famously pitched to a sterling 1.13 ERA with a 2.54 FIP in 24 innings of work down the stretch while striking out 33% of his opponents after being traded from the White Sox to the Dodgers, and if he can put up numbers even close to that this year that should be a huge boost to a Dodgers bullpen that already features talented arms like Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, and Alex Vesia. He’ll have to get back on the mound first before he can match those big expectations, but that seems likely to come at some point in April.

Kopech isn’t the only one who’s been dealing with illness lately in the Dodgers’ clubhouse. Utilityman Enrique Hernandez is expected to miss the season opener today and may not even be present in the ballpark, as relayed by ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. Gonzalez notes that Hernandez has been struggling to keep food down due to the illness, and manager Dave Roberts added that his hope is that Hernandez’s illness is not the same was the one that kept Mookie Betts out of the Tokyo Series. Betts lost more than 15 pounds due to the sickness and was sent back to the U.S. ahead of the rest of the club to recover.

If Hernandez proves to be that level of ill, a stay on the injured list can’t be entirely ruled out though he remains day-to-day for the time being. He figures to be a fixture of the club’s lineup against left-handed pitchers, though the presence of options like Chris Taylor and Miguel Rojas should help to fill the void created by Hernandez’s absence if he needs a few days off. A trip to the injured list, meanwhile, could open the door for James Outman to return to the majors or, perhaps, for Hyeseong Kim to make his big league debut after being optioned to the minors to start the season.

Speaking of Betts, the superstar is back in the Dodgers’ starting lineup today after missing the Tokyo Series. As noted by MLB.com’s Andres Soto, Betts remains day-to-day after dropping down to just 157 pounds due to the illness, but he’s started to put that weight back on and strength tests have indicated he’s back to normal. Obviously, the return of Betts to the lineup should be a huge catalyst for the Dodgers, who had to go without two of their three MVP hitters during the Tokyo Series but figure to have a lineup that’s more or less back to full strength going forward. If Betts does need a day off here or there, Rojas and Tommy Edman are both capable of handling shortstop in his stead.

Mookie Betts Will Miss Tokyo Series Due To Illness

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9:38PM: Betts indeed won’t play in the two games against the Cubs, Roberts confirmed to Bill Plunkett (multiple links) and other reporters today.  Betts has lost almost 15 pounds due to his illness, and the Dodgers are considering sending Betts back from Japan so he can fully recover and be ready for the domestic opener.

8:31AM: Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts was held out of the club’s exhibition games against NPB’s Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers, and manager Dave Roberts explained to reporters (including David Brandt of the Associated Press) that Betts was suffering from an illness. The 32-year-old was suffering from flu-like symptoms prior to the club’s trip to Japan, but Roberts noted that he’s been “really sick” since the club arrived in Tokyo and has started losing weight. As a result, Roberts expressed pessimism to reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) today that Betts would be available for the Tokyo Series against the Cubs later this week.

“I think that we’re really trying to be mindful of not just Opening Day but not putting him in harm’s way,” Roberts said, according to Plunkett. “He hasn’t taken live at-bats or played in any games and not to put him in a position where he potentially could get hurt.”

While Betts hasn’t been completely ruled out for the series, Roberts said Betts would need to come into the club’s next workout feeling strong and avoid the sort of fatigue he showed during today’s practice. Fortunately, there’s been no indication to this point that Betts is likely to miss regular season games once the club returns stateside, where the Dodgers are slated to play their home opener against the Tigers on March 27.

Losing a player of Betts’s caliber for any amount of time is a significant blow. The eight-time All-Star is among the most talented players in the sport and has slashed an excellent .284/.372/.530 (147 wRC+) since being traded to L.A. back in 2020. After playing right field nearly exclusively during his days with the Red Sox, Betts has seen increasingly frequent time on the infield dirt over his years with the Dodgers and enters the 2025 season as the club’s starting shortstop after splitting time between right field, shortstop, and second base in recent years.

The loss of Betts for the Tokyo Series is likely to cause a more significant shuffle in the club’s lineup card for those two games than the average injury would. The Dodgers’ 31-man travel roster is relatively light on full-time infielders, particularly after Hyeseong Kim was optioned to the minors last week ahead of the club’s trip to Japan. If Betts winds up missing those games, Tommy Edman figures to slide from center field back onto the infield to pair with Miguel Rojas up the middle.

That would open center field up for youngster Andy Pages, who posted a solid rookie season for the Dodgers last year but was squeezed out of the lineup by the club’s signing of Michael Conforto this winter. Utility men Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor could also factor in either at second base or in center field in some capacity during the series, with Hernandez in particular a likely candidate to see time. The Cubs are slated to start left-handers Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele during the Tokyo Series, and Hernandez has excelled against southpaws throughout his career.

Dodgers Still Planning To Use Betts-Lux Middle Infield

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The Dodgers added to their middle infield with the signing of KBO second Hyeseong Kim to a three-year contract. That fueled speculation about Los Angeles dealing one of their other infielders.

General manager Brandon Gomes downplayed the notion that adding Kim will spur another trade. “I think it’s more that we’re adding a really talented player, and [then we’ll] see where things play out,” Gomes told reporters (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). “It’s helpful to have really strong pieces at a lot of different areas. So that’s how we’re viewing it right now.” He added that the team’s “mindset” remains a middle infield pairing of Mookie Betts at shortstop and Gavin Lux at second base.

Before Gomes’ media session, Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic reported that the Dodgers view Kim as a utility player. Los Angeles values defensive flexibility as much as any team. The 25-year-old Kim has primarily been a second baseman but has experience in left field and at both positions on the left side of the infield. L.A. already has Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor as veteran utility options. Tommy Edman can also play either middle infield spot but is expected to be the everyday center fielder between Michael Conforto and Teoscar Hernández. Assuming a four-man bench, Kim and backup catcher Austin Barnes would round out the position player group. That’d push outfielders Andy Pages and James Outman, each of whom has a minor league option left, to Triple-A if everyone’s healthy.

Rojas underwent postseason hernia surgery, but there’s no indication that’ll keep him from participating in Spring Training. Taylor is coming off a .202/.298/.300 showing. The organization clearly places a lot of emphasis on his versatility and clubhouse presence. L.A. designated former top prospect Diego Cartaya for assignment as the corresponding move for Kim. That suggests the Dodgers see a path to carrying all of Kim, Rojas and Taylor on the roster.

There could be an element of gamesmanship to Gomes’ comments. It wouldn’t do the team much good to proclaim they’re trying to deal a middle infielder even if they were. That said, it’s not surprising that the Dodgers don’t feel Lux’s situation changes much after the Kim signing. The latter’s three-year, $12.5MM guarantee is a modest investment that suggests MLB teams generally viewed him as a utility player rather than a regular.

Lux hit .251/.320/.383 with 10 homers while playing slightly below-average defense in more than 1000 innings at second base last year. He had a fantastic second half, hitting .304 with seven homers in 61 games after the All-Star Break. He has been a league average hitter over nearly 1500 MLB plate appearances. Evaluators question how much Kim will bring to the table offensively. It’d be risky for the Dodgers to deal Lux and expect Kim to handle the keystone.

The Dodgers also don’t have glaring weaknesses that they need to address via trade. There’s little reason to deal Lux for prospects. The Dodgers could open the season with a rotation including Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They’re expected to bring Clayton Kershaw back. They might sign Roki Sasaki. Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May are returning from injury. The bullpen is the relative weak point, but Ardaya writes in a separate column at The Athletic that the team prefers to address that through free agency rather than trade.

Mookie Betts To Play Shortstop In 2025

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Last month, the Dodgers revealed shortly after their victory in the World Series that they planned to return versatile star Mookie Betts to the infield, where he spent the first half of the 2024 campaign before moving back to right field down the stretch, for the 2025 season. Now, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes has added a bit more specificity to that plan by informing reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya) Monday that Betts will enter the 2025 season as the club’s starting shortstop.

As noted by Ardaya, that move back onto the outfield grass late in the 2024 season was preceded by a months-long absence due to a broken handed he suffered when struck by a pitch back in June. At the time, the club decided to move Betts back to the outfield for the time being thanks in part to the emergence of Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman as viable options at the position but also because Betts was somewhat abruptly moved to shortstop just before the season began due to Gavin Lux struggling at the position during Spring Training. Ardaya notes that Betts struggled at times with the transition from making throws as an outfielder to ones as a shortstop, but that Betts and the club feel more confident that he’ll be able to handle the position on an daily basis in 2025 now that he has a full offseason to prepare for the move.

Given the apparent lack of interest on the part of L.A. in engaging in the shortstop market this winter, it’s perhaps not especially surprising that they plan to hand the keys to the position back to Betts next year. The Dodgers were loosely connected to top free agent shortstop Willy Adames earlier this offseason but did not seem to be among his most aggressive suitors before he ultimately landed with their division rivals in San Francisco over the weekend. Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is a trade candidate who has gotten some buzz this winter and the Dodgers were previously connected to over the summer who has plenty of shortstop experience himself, but there’s been no indication of that interest carrying over to the winter.

With Betts now officially ticketed for regular reps at shortstop, the club’s lineup has seemingly begun to fall into place. Gavin Lux and Miguel Rojas figure to share time at second base, with Ardaya suggesting that a strong second half from Lux should earn him a crack at the lion’s share of playing time at the keystone next year. That would leave Max Muncy to continue playing third base on a regular basis while Tommy Edman figures to act as the club’s regular center fielder. Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani are of course locked in at first base and DH respectively, and newly-signed outfielder Michael Conforto figures to be an everyday player for L.A. in one of the outfield corners.

That leaves one obvious vacancy in the club’s lineup at the outfield corner not occupied by Conforto. Given the heavily-reported mutual interest in a reunion, it seems like the Dodgers hope to fill that void with Teoscar Hernandez. With that being said, the sides are reportedly facing a gap in contract talks, and with a number of reports suggesting Hernandez could have a robust market as perhaps the top outfield option available with Juan Soto now off the market it seems there’s no guarantee he’ll wind up in Dodger blue next year. There’s plenty of other interesting options available on the free agent market such as Anthony Santander and Jurickson Profar should the Dodgers miss out on Hernandez, but it’s also at least plausible the club decides to go with a platoon of internal youngsters Andy Pages and James Outman to fill out that final spot in the lineup.

MLBTR Podcast: Roki Sasaki, Cole’s Non-Opt-Out, And Cardinals Rumors

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Mookie Betts Likely Moving Back To Infield

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Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes spoke to members of the media at the general manager meetings, including Joel Sherman of The New York Post (X link) and Bob Nightengale of USA Today (X link). Gomes relayed that the Dodgers are probably going to have Mookie Betts move back to the infield, either at shortstop or second base.

In the first half of 2024, Betts playing the infield was an incredible storyline, as he moved to the dirt after years of being established as a right fielder. He had been a second baseman as a prospect with the Red Sox but had moved to the grass in deference to Dustin Pedroia. He eventually won multiple Gold Gloves and other fielding awards for his work in right field but amazingly started switching back more recently.

The Dodgers gave Betts brief looks at second base in each season from 2020 to 2022 but then ramped it up, putting him there for 485 innings in 2023. They also started dabbling with Betts as a shortstop that year, with 98 innings at that spot.

The club was evidently pleased with the experiment, as manager Dave Roberts announced in December that Betts would be the club’s primary second baseman in 2024, with Gavin Lux planned as the regular shortstop. But when Lux struggled with his throws during spring training, the Dodgers decided to flip them.

That suddenly left Betts looking to essentially learn one of the most demanding positions on the fly, but it seemed to be working well enough for a time. He got a -4 grade from Outs Above Average at shortstop this year but +3 Defensive Runs Saved. He did that while producing a massive .304/.405/.488 batting line and 153 wRC+ through the middle of June, seemingly putting himself in the Most Valuable Player conversation.

Unfortunately, it was at that time that he suffered a hand fracture after being hit by a pitch and then missed about two months. While he was on the shelf, the Dodgers decided that he would be moved back to his familiar right field position once he healed up.

Now it seems that Betts will get another shot on the infield, which will immediately lead to speculation about the club’s offseason pursuits. The top free agent this winter is corner outfielder Juan Soto, though he is not the only intriguing guy in that category. The Dodgers could consider bringing back Teoscar Hernández or pursuing guys like Anthony Santander, Jurickson Profar, Tyler O’Neill or Michael Conforto.

The infield market, meanwhile, isn’t as deep. Gleyber Torres is arguably the top option at second base despite a mediocre season. He has generally hit well in his career but was barely league average in 2024. Since he’s not considered a strong defender, that dip at the plate was concerning. At shortstop, there is a strong option in Willy Adames, who has interested the Dodgers before. But apart from him, the top option is Ha-Seong Kim, who might miss the first half of the upcoming season due to shoulder surgery.

Given the disparity between those markets, having Betts on the infield perhaps gives the Dodgers the best opportunity to take advantage of the offseason conditions. Depending on how things play out, it could also give them some trading options. Between Betts, Lux, Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor, they could perhaps make someone in that group available. On the other hand, Edman and Taylor are super utility guys who can also play the outfield, meaning they could be valuable in providing support on the grass.

Without Betts, the outfield mix consists of Andy Pages, Edman, Taylor and James Outman. Catching prospect Dalton Rushing has started getting some outfield reps since he’s fairly blocked behind the plate with the recent Will Smith extension, as well as the presence of fellow catching prospects Diego Cartaya and Hunter Feduccia.

Perhaps this entire roster picture will change as the offseason develops and the Dodgers navigate their options in the coming months. They could add an outfielder or perhaps an infielder, then pivot Betts back to the outfield. The flexibility gives the Dodgers plenty of options for how to proceed and makes for a fascinating career arc for Betts.

MLBTR Podcast: The White Sox Fire Their Manager, Víctor Robles Extended, And The Marlins’ Front Office

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

We had some technical difficulties during this recording, so the audio is of a lower quality than usual. Apologies for that, but the source has been discovered and everything will be back to normal next week. This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Will Camilo Doval pitch again this season (or ever) for the Giants? (25:10)
  • What ever happened to Archie Bradley this season? (29:20)
  • Well, if your offense stops failing you, let the pitching failures take the spotlight! As a Braves fan, I am feeling quite trampled after all the high expectations that this season came with. Should I forget any postseason hopes? (31:00)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Dodgers Designate Amed Rosario For Assignment, Activate Mookie Betts

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The Dodgers announced Monday that they’ve reinstated Mookie Betts from the 60-day injured list and created space in somewhat surprising fashion: infielder/outfielder and trade deadline acquisition Amed Rosario has been designated for assignment.

Rosario, 28, was acquired in a trade sending 28-year-old minor league reliever Michael Flynn back to the Rays. It wasn’t a steep price to pay necessarily, but it’s nevertheless unexpected to see Los Angeles move on in such quick fashion. The versatile Rosario received only 12 plate appearances in his second stint with Los Angeles — the Dodgers also acquired him at the 2023 deadline — and has hit well all season. In 287 plate appearances between Tampa Bay and L.A., he’s slashing .305/.331/.415 — about 14% better than league-average, by measure of wRC+.

Dodgers brass was largely choosing among Rosario, Enrique Hernandez and Nick Ahmed when determining who would be the odd man out to clear way for Betts’ return. Hernandez has struggled badly in 2024 overall, but a well-timed hot streak has ostensibly saved his spot on the roster. He’s hitting .333/.405/.545 in 37 plate appearances this month. Ahmed has posted an empty .268 batting average in 42 plate appearances (.268/.286/.341, 77 wRC+), but he’s a high-end defender at shortstop. With Betts returning to right field, keeping an elite middle infield defender like Ahmed apparently won out over keeping a more productive but less valuable defensive piece in Rosario.

The veteran Rosario signed an eminently affordable one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Rays over the winter, looking to rebound from a career-worst showing with the Guardians and Dodgers last year. After spending years as the primary shortstop in Cleveland, he’s moved to a utility role that’s seen him log time at shortstop, second base, third base and in right field this season. He’s drawn poor defensive grades in general and has never been regarded as a high-quality glove at shortstop at the big league level. Rosario has been productive at the plate, however, and that’s particularly true against lefties, who he’s tagged for an impressive .327/.355/.462 line in 2024.

Between his light contract, offensive production and his growing experience at multiple positions, Rosario stands a far greater chance of being claimed by another team than most veterans who are designated for assignment this time of year. The trade deadline has passed, so the only option the Dodgers will have is to place Rosario on outright waivers or release waivers. It’d be another, more modest surprise if he passed through unclaimed.

With that in mind, it’s worth noting that outright waiver order is determined by the reverse order of the MLB-wide standings and is not league-specific. That’s a common misconception, but league-specific waivers pertained to the now-defunct August trade waiver process. (MLBTR has confirmed this with league sources on multiple occasions.) Since Rosario is a free agent at the end of the year, it’s likely that rebuilding clubs and others whose postseason hopes have faded will allow him to pass through.

At the moment, waiver priority among postseason hopefuls (using an admittedly arbitrary criteria of fewer than six games back in either a division race or Wild Card chase) would be ranked: Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Rays, Giants, Cardinals, Mets, Braves, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros, Royals, Padres, D-backs, Twins, Brewers, Guardians, Phillies, Yankees and Orioles. As of this writing, Rosario is still owed $387K of this year’s salary. Any team that claims him would be on the hook for the full sum, whereas the Dodgers would be spared that sum plus the 110% tax as a third-time luxury payor. Overall, waiving Rosario could save the Dodgers about $813K — assuming he’s claimed.

As for Betts, he’ll return to his customary right field and add another former MVP to the top of the Dodgers’ lineup, slotting into between fellow former MVPs Shohei Ohtani (leadoff) and Freddie Freeman (No. 3 hitter). Betts gives manager Dave Roberts a right-handed bat to break up that pair of imposing lefties, and Betts of course is among the more feared hitters in the sport when healthy.

Prior to the fractured hand that cost him the past eight-plus weeks, Betts was hitting .304/.405/.488 with 10 homers, 16 doubles, three triples, nine steals (in 10 tries), a 14.2% walk rate and just a 10.3% strikeout rate. With Betts now back in right field, the Dodgers will play Miguel Rojas regularly at shortstop and Gavin Lux at second base, with the aforementioned Hernandez an option to back up Lux (especially against lefties) and Ahmed providing a glove-first backup at shortstop.

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