Betts Goes Down Early<\/p>\n
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Mar 16, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) fields the ball against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Betts left Saturday\u2019s game in the first inning, and what looked like lower right back pain got re-labeled into the more annoying truth\u2014oblique. The Dodgers immediate solution is practical\u2014Miguel Rojas takes over at shortstop and stays in the No. 2 spot in the order, while the team recalled Hyeseong Kim from Triple-A Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n
True Blue LA noted the team expects the absence to stretch beyond the minimum because obliques heal on their own schedule, and the Dodgers are already planning a shortstop platoon approach with Kim and Rojas.<\/p>\n
Hyeseong Kim Becomes the X-Factor<\/p>\n
Kim is the real wild card. He hit .280 in 71 games for the Dodgers last season, got left off the roster after spring, then came out swinging at Triple-A\u2014.346 through six games. The Dodgers aren\u2019t panicking\u2014they always seem to be flush with depth. But depth isn\u2019t the same as replacing a star.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t Let the Slow Start Fool You<\/p>\n
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Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) walks against the Toronto Blue Jays in the tenth inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
This is also happening while Betts was already struggling at the plate\u2014.179, 2 home runs, 7 RBIs through eight games. That\u2019s important because the easy narrative is that he wasn\u2019t hitting anyway. But that\u2019s lazy. And we know that Betts doesn\u2019t need a hot April to matter. He does need to be on the field, though, because he changes lineup structure, infield defense, and how opponents pitch the entire top half.<\/p>\n
The First Real Test for the Dodgers<\/p>\n
The Dodgers will still win games because, of course, they will. They\u2019re the Dodgers. But Betts to the IL is the first real speedbump of the 2026 season. And it\u2019s going to be a test of how deep their depth really is when a core piece is on the shelf.<\/p>\n