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Mookie Betts

Dodgers Place Mookie Betts On 10-Day Injured List

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TODAY: Betts has a bone spur in his right hip, Roberts told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and other reporters.  It’s possible surgery could be required to fully correct the injury, though Betts and the team are looking to hold off until the offseason.  Betts recently received an injection, and “hopefully this shot has a longer-lasting effect,” Roberts said, “but we won’t know until we look up seven, 10 days, a month from now, and once he starts ramping up more with the physical activity.”  There still isn’t any real timetable for when Betts could return, as Roberts said “my assumption is we’re gonna keep managing it day by day.”

AUGUST 11, 5:25 pm: The Dodgers officially placed Betts on the 10-day IL, retroactive to August 8, with right hip inflammation. He’s first eligible for reinstatement a week from today.

4:16 pm: Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts is going on the 10-day injured list with a right hip injury, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times). Reliever Edwin Uceta will be reinstated from the 10-day IL to take his place on the active roster. Betts is being sent back to L.A. for further examination.

This was the generally expected outcome after Betts was scratched from last night’s lineup with hip soreness. Roberts didn’t specify any sort of timetable, although it stands to reason that’ll become clearer after he’s examined by doctors tomorrow. It’s an unfortunate time to lose one of the sport’s best players, as the Dodgers trail the Giants by four games in the National League West with 49 contests remaining on the season. There’s little doubt L.A. will make the playoffs, but losing Betts makes their effort to avoid the single-elimination Wild Card game all the more difficult.

Betts got off to a slow start to the year, by his lofty standards. After a good but unspectacular April, the 28-year-old kicked his game back into peak form. He’s been blistering hot lately, hitting .373/.422/.720 since the start of July. That scorching streak has brought his season line back to a fantastic .277/.378/.521 (143 wRC+) over 397 plate appearances.

No team is better suited to withstand the loss of an MVP-caliber player than the Dodgers, who still boast a star-studded collection of talent. That said, there’s no way to truly replace someone like Betts, and his time on the shelf coincides with a difficult stretch on the schedule. Twelve of Los Angeles’ next fifteen games come against teams — Phillies, Mets and Padres — in the playoff hunt, although New York has been struggling of late.

Dodgers Activate Mookie Betts From 10-Day IL

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The Dodgers announced a series of roster moves, most notably the activation of star outfielder Mookie Betts from the 10-day injured list.  Right-hander Yefry Ramirez also had his contract selected, with James Sherfy moved to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster space.  For the active roster, utilityman Zach McKinstry and right-hander Mitch White were optioned to Triple-A to open up two spots for Betts and Ramirez.

Betts returns after only a minimum 10-day stint on the IL, though he hasn’t appeared in a game since July 19 due to lingering inflammation in his right hip.  The Dodgers held Betts out for several games to see if he could eventually return without the need of an IL visit, but it was ultimately decided to officially sideline Betts and give him time to recover.

According to manager Dave Roberts, Betts’ hip problem is one of a few minor injuries that have bothered the former AL MVP for most of the season.  Betts’ numbers don’t have the look of a player limited by nagging injuries, as he has hit .270/.374/.502 with 14 home runs over 374 PA this season.

Interestingly, Betts will start at second base in today’s lineup, as part of the team’s plan to keep Betts fresh and healthy by reducing his time in the outfield.  It seems likely that Betts will only play at the keystone every once in a while, though he might get more looks at the position until Trea Turner and Gavin Lux are both back from the injured list.  Betts was originally drafted as a second baseman by the Red Sox, but was pretty quickly moved to the outfield, and has now won five consecutive Gold Gloves for his excellent defense on the grass.

Ramirez came to Los Angeles on a minor league contract in March, and the righty is looking to make his first MLB appearance since September 2019.  Ramirez tossed 89 2/3 innings with the Orioles and Pirates in 2018-19, with a 6.32 ERA over his brief big league career.  The 27-year-old signed a minors deal with the Mets in 2020 but didn’t get into any games with New York last year.

Dodgers Place Mookie Betts On 10-Day Injured List

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Mookie Betts has been placed on the Dodgers’ 10-day injured list due to right hip inflammation, the team announced.  In the corresponding move, right-hander Jimmy Nelson was activated from his own 10-day IL stint to take Betts’ spot on the active roster.

There was no mention made of a retroactive placement date, which is somewhat curious since Betts hasn’t played since July 19.  Teams are allowed up to three days of back-dating on IL placements, so Betts would have been eligible to return to action in a week’s time.  Instead, the star outfielder is now set to miss 10 full days beginning today.

Manager Dave Roberts said last week that Betts was dealing with multiple “nagging” injuries beyond just his hip, so it could be that this 10-day break might be necessary to get Betts fully healed up and ready for the stretch drive.  Betts has also missed a couple of games this year with such maladies as a sore shoulder and a sore back, though this represents his first actual IL placement since a minimal 10-day stint in 2018.

After a slow start to the season by his standards, Betts is now back producing at his usual superstar level.  The outfielder has 14 home runs and a .270/.374/.502 slash line in 374 plate appearances, and his absence will create another notable gap in the L.A. lineup.  Corey Seager and Gavin Lux are also on the injured list, and while Cody Bellinger is dealing with a balky hamstring.  Pitching is thought to be the Dodgers’ primary focus at the trade deadline, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the club added another bat to the bench.

Nelson’s return will provide some reinforcement to the bullpen, as the righty missed a little over two weeks due to a back strain.  Nelson had another 10-day IL trip earlier this year, but health aside, it has been a very successful comeback year.  After missing the entire 2020 season due to back surgery, Nelson has become a full-time relief pitcher and delivered a 2.00 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 27 innings.

NL West Injury Notes: Weathers, Bellinger, Betts, Kershaw, Belt, Crawford, Kelly

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Padres left-hander Ryan Weathers was activated off the 10-day injured list earlier today, and he marked the occasion with four shutout innings and his first career home run in San Diego’s 3-2 loss to the Marlins.  Weathers had to be helped off the field after suffering what looked like an ugly leg injury on July 11, though he ended up only fracturing a small bone in his right ankle.  He looked none the worse for wear today, which is a nice boost to a Padres team that has battled through multiple pitching injuries and might yet look to add more arms by the trade deadline.

More injury updates from around the NL West…

  • Cody Bellinger is day-to-day after leaving Friday’s game due to hamstring tightness, though Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told The Los Angeles Times’ Jeff Miller and other reporters that Bellinger was on the field working out prior to today’s game.  When he does return, Bellinger might be utilized at first base in order to reduce his running, Roberts said.
  • Roberts also had more updates on other injured Dodgers stars, including Mookie Betts’ continuing right hip problems.  Betts received a cortisone shot and the plan is for the outfielder to play on Tuesday when the Dodgers begin a series with the Giants.  Betts hasn’t played since July 19 and hasn’t started a game since July 17.  Clayton Kershaw (placed on the 10-day IL with forearm inflammation on July 7) threw a bullpen session today and is slated for a simulated game on Tuesday.
  • Brandon Belt may be close to a rehab assignment, as the Giants first baseman ran the bases today as he continues to work his way back from knee inflammation.  Belt told reporters (including John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle) that he feels “way better than I thought I was going to feel at this point,” considering that there was some consideration of knee surgery when he initially hurt his knee almost exactly one month ago.  Belt intends to wear a protective sleeve over his knee when he returns to the field.
  • In other positive injury recovery news for the Giants, Brandon Crawford began baseball activity today.  Crawford was placed on the 10-day IL with what was considered to be a minor left oblique strain on July 19, and it looks like Crawford will indeed only be out of action for a minimal amount of time.
  • Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly will began a rehab assignment on Thursday and will move to High-A Hillsboro on Sunday, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert tweets.  A fractured wrist sent Kelly to the injured list on June 20, interrupting an outstanding season for the 27-year-old backstop.  Kelly has hit .260/.385/.460 with eight home runs over 187 plate appearances.

Injury Updates: Betts, Castellanos, Kluber

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Mookie Betts left tonight’s game due to right hip irritation, according to the Dodgers.  After hitting a double in the seventh inning, Betts came up limping, and the injury looked to have occurred while he was rounding first base.  The hip problem ruined what had been a banner night for Betts, as that was his third double as part of a 4-for-4 performance.

Betts is now hitting .271/.375/.503 over 373 plate appearances, as he has been red-hot over the last month following something of a slow start (by his standards) to the 2021 season.  Betts’ semi-struggles early could have been due to some minor injuries, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and other reporters that the hip problem has been one of Betts’ “nagging” issues.  Roberts plans to have Betts back in the lineup as early as Monday, when the Dodgers begin a key series with the arch-rival Giants.

More on other injury situations around baseball…

  • Reds slugger Nick Castellanos left Friday night’s game after being hit in the right wrist by an Adrian Houser pitch, and Castellanos also wasn’t in tonight’s lineup.  X-rays were negative on Castellanos’ wrist, though it seems like he might get at least a day or two off for further examination.  Castellanos has been one of baseball’s best hitters this season, batting .330/.384/.583 with 18 home runs over 367 PA, and Cincinnati’s pennant race hopes would be badly stung if Castellanos had to be placed on the IL for any amount of time.
  • Corey Kluber might throw a bullpen session this coming Friday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler).  A rotator cuff strain sidelined Kluber back on May 26, and while he was initially projected for an eight-week recovery period, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said last month that September might be Kluber’s likelier return date.  Given the long absence and the fact that Kluber missed almost all of the 2019-20 seasons due to injury, the veteran right-hander is likely to require multiple bullpen sessions and a minor league rehab assignment before he can get back on a big league mound, which could account for Cashman’s extended timeline.  That said, it is a good sign that Kluber is beginning to ramp up throwing activities now, so an August return might not be out of the question.  Over 53 1/3 innings prior to his rotator cuff strain, Kluber looked good in posting a 3.04 ERA, showing some flashes of his old Cy Young Award-winning form.

Dodgers Notes: Betts, Bellinger, Gonsolin, Graterol

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Mookie Betts was a late scratch from today’s game due to a sore left shoulder, per the Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (via Twitter). It makes sense for the Dodgers to be cautious with Betts, given that he has dealt with a number of smaller injuries so far this season. He has played in 38 of their 46 games so far this season. When in the lineup, he hasn’t been his usual MVP-level self, though he’s still managed to produce 29 percent better than average with a .258/.366/.452 line at the plate. While we’re here, let’s get some other health updates from Los Angeles…

  • The Dodgers may soon see their other MVP outfielder return to the lineup. Cody Bellinger could be “seven or eight” days from returning, per Jorge Castillo of the LA Times (via Twitter). Bellinger played in just four games before a lower leg stress fracture sent him to the shelf. Centerfield has been a patchwork effort without Bellinger, mostly handled by the ever-useful Chris Taylor. Taylor has been excellent in Bellinger’s place, and he’ll be put to use elsewhere around the diamond when Bellinger returns.
  • Tony Gonsolin looked great in his first rehab assignment today, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). He’ll start again in another five days in the hopes of soon joining the Dodgers’ rotation. Though Gonsolin started the season in the bullpen, Dustin May’s injury has opened up a rotation spot.
  • Brusdar Graterol is also nearing a return. Per Plunkett, Graterol threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Friday, and if he throws another successful one on Tuesday, he could begin a rehab assignment soon after. Graterol made just three appearances after getting a late start to the season.

 

West Notes: Bellinger, Betts, Smith, Odor

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Cody Bellinger could be headed to the injured list, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). He was held out of Wednesday’s game with a sore calf and last saw game action in Monday’s 10-3 victory in Oakland. Mookie Betts played centerfield in his place on Tuesday night, but the reigning MVP runner-up was out for Wednesday’s game with a stiff lower back. Betts could return for Friday’s home opener, however. Still, it might be prudent for manager Dave Roberts to keep Betts in right field for the time being. That would mean more time in center for Chris Taylor. AJ Pollock didn’t see any time in center last season, but he does have eight years of Major League experience at the position. Elsewhere in the west…

  • Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo is moving southpaw Caleb Smith to the bullpen, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). It’s not yet clear who will take Smith’s spot in the rotation. Zac Gallen is on the mend, but he won’t quite be ready in time for Smith’s turn on Saturday. Taylor Widener lines up for Friday’s game, while Luke Weaver will pitch on Sunday. If they go with a bullpen game, both Alex Young and Taylor Clarke are already in the bullpen and capable of bulk innings. Smith, of course, would also be available out of the bullpen. He gave up three earned runs on five hits and three walks in three innings on April 3rd, his only start of the season.
  • The Rangers had other offers for Rougned Odor beyond the deal they accepted from the Yankees. Other offers had more favorable financial terms, but the Rangers prioritized adding talent, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). Fangraphs had Antonio Cabello as the Yankees’ 23rd-ranked prospect prior to the trade, while Josh Stowers was listed in the “Realistic Bench Pieces” section.

NL Central Notes: Betts, Brewers, Venable, Tigers, Pirates

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Could Mookie Betts have blossomed to stardom in a Brewers uniform?  It could have been a reality if former Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin had had his way, as he tried to acquire Betts from the Red Sox in 2013 in exchange for closer Francisco Rodriguez, according to MLB.com’s Adam Berry and Adam McCalvy.  As a fifth-round pick for Boston in the 2011 draft, “Mookie sort of went under the radar if you went by the so-called MLB Pipeline or whatever.  I don’t think at the time he was in their top 10-15 prospects,” Melvin said.  Both the Brewers’ analytics and scouting departments agreed on Betts’ potential, however, so the pitch was made to then-Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington, who wisely declined the offer.

Betts was already in the midst of a big season at the A-ball levels in 2013, and Cherington recalls that by season’s end, Betts’ “name was the first one” mentioned by other clubs in trade negotiations.  “Doug Melvin was the first to ask, so I always give Doug credit.  He was the first one to ask for him,” Cherington said.

While Milwaukee fans take a moment to sigh ruefully, let’s look at some other items from around the NL Central…

  • Cubs third base coach Will Venable spoke with the Tigers about their managerial vacancy, NBC Sports Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer reports.  Venable was first cited as a potential candidate for the Tigers job back in September, and Venable has also recently interviewed with the Red Sox about their managerial job.  Beyond the Red Sox and Tigers, “other clubs also have sought the Cubs’ permission to talk with Venable about other, non-managerial openings in their organizations,” Wittenmyer writes.  A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Venable has spent the last three years in Wrigleyville as a special assistant to Theo Epstein, as well as a first base and third base coach.  This is the second straight winter that Venable has been a popular candidate, as the Cubs considered him for their own manager’s job last offseason, and the Astros and Giants also interviewed him for their managerial openings.
  • The Pirates have 19 players eligible for arbitration this offseason, the most of any team in baseball.  At least some of those names won’t be back in Pittsburgh in 2021, as The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel thinks as many as six players could be non-tendered and several others are trade candidates.  Interestingly, Biertempfel cites Trevor Williams as a potential non-tender, on the heels of a season that saw Williams get off to a good start but then struggle to finish with a 6.18 ERA over 55 1/3 innings, with a league-high 15 homers allowed.  Williams received some trade interest from at least one team (the Blue Jays) back in August, so it’s possible Toronto or another club could have some talks with the Pirates before the non-tender deadline.  Williams had a pair of solid seasons in 2017-18 and is entering his age-29 season with two years of team control remaining.  MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Williams to earn between $3.2MM and $4.6MM through the arbitration process this winter.

Gold Glove Nominees Announced

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The 2020 Rawlings Glove Glove Award finalists have been released, with the Cubs netting the most nominations with seven. The Mets, Nationals, Phillies, Brewers, Rays, and Red Sox were shut out.

The awards for defensive prowess will be handed out based on defensive metrics alone this year, since managers and coaches weren’t able to see players outside their regional bubble. Moving to a metrics-based system, even for a year, certainly make for interesting television, especially since these awards can make an impact on arbitration cases. Considering the uncertainty of a 60-game season, awards could carry greater weight than usual in those proceedings, thought that’s just speculation. Without further ado, here are this year’s nominees:

AL Pitcher

NL Pitcher

AL Catcher

NL Catcher

AL First Base

NL First Base

AL Second Base

NL Second Base

AL Third Base

NL Third Base

AL Shortstop

NL Shortstop

AL Left Field

NL Left Field

AL Centerfield

NL Centerfield

AL Right Field

NL Right Field

Nicky Lopez of the Royals was originally left off the list, but he is in fact a nominee at second base, one of four nominations at the keystone in the American League. It’s the only position with four nominations.

There are a few other interesting things of note. Perennial candidates like Andrelton Simmons and Matt Chapman did not make the list this year due to shortened seasons, nor did last season’s Outs Above Average leader Victor Robles. Both Gurriel brothers earned nominations this year, with the younger Lourdes (LF) joining perennial candidate Yuli (1B).

There are also a couple of largely part-time players that made the cut, like Hoerner of the Cubs and Mendick for the White Sox. Neither was the everyday second baseman, but they did reach the inning minimum of 265 total defensive innings. They qualified at second because that’s where they played the most innings. Mendick, for example, registered just 226 innings at second, but with 27 innings at third and 15 at shortstop, he ended the year with 268 total defensive innings played.

Catchers required a minimum of 29 games, which is how we got a pair of White Sox catchers making the top-3. Pitchers had to throw a minimum of 50 innings.

The winners will be selected using the SABR Defensive Index and announced on November 3rd, per sabr.org.

Latest On Mookie Betts

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6:23 pm: Betts’ finger has some swelling, but x-rays fortunately came back negative, manager Dave Roberts told reporters, including Ken Gurnick of MLB.com (Twitter links). He’s day-to-day.

5:41 pm: Mookie Betts was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of this afternoon’s game against the Diamondbacks. The club since announced (Twitter link) that he is dealing with soreness in his left middle finger.

There’s no indication there’s particular cause for alarm, but it’s eye-opening whenever a player of Betts’ caliber leaves a game for health reasons. The superstar hasn’t played at quite his typical level to start his Dodger career, but there’s no questioning his importance to the organization both short and long term.

For now, the hope is surely that Betts will return to the field in short order. The Dodgers are in position to exercise all due caution given the strength of their roster. Edwin Ríos replaced Betts in the lineup today, perhaps indicating he’d be first in line for extra playing time should Betts need some time off.

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