Cody Snavely
LOS ANGELES— After winning his third World Series title of his career, all-star and 2018 American League Most Valuable Player Award winner was perhaps on his most challenging journey yet: becoming a full-time shortstop entering his thirties.
However, despite a great spring both offensively and on defense at the premier position, Betts’ start to the regular season was put on hold during the two-game regular-season opener in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs, where the all-star was forced to miss both games.
Betts’ hiatus was caused by an unknown illness that affected his stomach, which in turn has prevented food from sitting well. At the time, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that Betts had been dealing with the stomach bug before the team departed overseas, forcing Betts to miss the final two Cactus League games.
Last week, Roberts confirmed that Betts had felt fatigued during workouts and pregame play and lost around 10-15 pounds, prompting the Dodgers’ training and medical staff to not declare Betts game-ready.
Fast-forward to today, and the situation has appeared to have gotten worse for the three-time champion. Yesterday, he was a late-game scratch in Game One of a three-game exhibition series against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium.
After the game, Betts spoke with the media about his situation, his game plan, and when he expects to possibly rejoin the lineup.
“I feel great like my body feels great,” Betts said. “I’ve been able to work out… pretty much everything but eat, you know, which is strange.” The non eating has taken its toll on Betts’ body as he has lost close to eighteen pounds over the last two weeks.
“You go you weigh yourself and you weigh 150 lbs. I mean before I left spring I was 175,” he explained. Betts who was planning on playing in yesterday’s game needed to eat so he forced himself to eat breakfast but later the afternoon he could not hold it down.
Still, despite the lack of eating, the lost weight, and the constant fatigue, Betts still wants to play.“I would still play,” he said, admitting that if he hadn’t thrown up that morning, he would’ve suited up. “If I didn’t throw today, absolutely I was in there. I had a great day yesterday, but I didn’t eat literally all day yesterday.”
However, two games remain before the Dodgers restart their regular season play on Thursday, March 27th, at their home opener against the Detroit Tigers at 4:10 PM PT.
Betts is not expected to play the final two games against the Angels, and his status for Opening Week is in doubt, which begs the question: Should the Dodgers just place Mookie Betts on the 10-day Injured List?
The question is warranted, especially due to Betts’ drastic weight loss over the last two weeks. Not only has he lost weight, but he’s missed several games, in-game at-bats, defensive plays, and an already demanding position.
The Dodgers trio atop their lineup has been dealing with multiple injuries so far in camp as we draw closer to the regular season. Freddie Freeman made his first appearance in over a week after missing the first two games of the regular season after reaggravating a rib injury that hindered the all-star first baseman last October.
Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is also recovering from Tommy John surgery back during the 2023 season and offseason shoulder surgery from his labrum that he tore last October in Game Two of the World Series on a stolen base attempt.
Like last season, the Dodgers are more equipped than any team to replace an all-star caliber player for an extended period of time. Just last season, when Mookie Betts missed nearly two months of the regular season, veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas filled in for him.
The Dodgers need Betts to not only get right but get ramped up again properly, which, if he misses multiple weeks recovering, could force him to go on a minor league rehab assignment.
If Betts is expected to miss the first full week of the season, it makes no sense for the team to waste his roster spot on someone who can’t get into the game and give someone like David Bote or another Dodgers minor leaguer a chance to make an impact.
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