Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts might not be as significantly hurt as initially thought.
Betts, who sustained a right oblique injury on Saturday, was placed on the injured list, allowing for Hyeseong Kim to be called up to the majors.
On Monday, Betts told the California Post that he was “light years ahead” of where he thought he would be following Saturday, with Jack Harris noting that Betts “sounded hugely encouraged about the progress he was already making.”
“Honestly, I don’t even really notice that it hurts,” Betts said. “Much better spot than originally anticipated.”
Betts suffered a similar injury in 2018 as a member of the Boston Red Sox, and he returned that season to win the American League MVP and World Series — over the Dodgers.
“That (injury happened) on a swing, so I knew that was much worse than this,” he said.
He declined to promise another MVP though.
“Yeah,” he joked. “So we’ll see how it goes this time.”
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) runs after hitting a three run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesWhat Has the Team Said About Mookie Betts’ Injury?
Manager Dave Roberts has indicated that he believes Betts will recover faster than the typical timeframe of four to six weeks for oblique injuries.
“It’s certainly more moderate than significant,” Roberts said. “We’ll huddle up and see if we need to get a player here to protect against us, depending on how the MRI comes. But yeah, (Betts) certainly won’t be playing the next couple days, I would assume.
“…Disappointed for him. We’re sort of starting to get going a little bit, and the way he’s playing defense, and he’s a big part of what we do. Any time you miss, it’s gonna take some time to kind of get your footing. So disappointed for him, but hopeful that it’s not long-term.”
Who Will Fill in for Mookie Betts in the Meantime?
In addition to Kim, veteran Miguel Rojas and Alex Freeland will fill in the infield.
Kim and Rojas are expected to split time at shortstop, while Freeland will get much of the work at second base.
Are you excited to get Mookie Betts back, or are you excited to see what the other guys can do?
LA Baseball Report
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