The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing yet another injury setback, although this one may not be as severe as initially feared. Star player Mookie Betts has fractured his toe after stubbing it against a wall in a dark bathroom, but he anticipates being sidelined for only two days, primarily due to pain management issues.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided updates, assuring reporters that Betts is not expected to go on the injured list and will miss the remaining games of the team’s current series against the New York Yankees. This news comes amidst a challenging season for the Dodgers, who currently have 14 players on the injured list, all of whom are pitchers.
Roberts expressed his frustration with the string of injuries, humorously referencing Murphy’s law and calling the incident a “weird one.” The timing of Betts’ injury is particularly unfortunate as his absence means missing out on a historic matchup that could have featured three former MVPs on each team – a showdown with Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman on the Dodgers, against Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, and Cody Bellinger on the Yankees.
Although Betts has struggled offensively this season, with career-low statistics of .254 batting average, .338 on-base percentage, and .405 slugging in 53 games, he has shown significant improvement defensively at shortstop. The Dodgers will feel his absence keenly, but fans remain hopeful that he’ll return quickly to bolster the team’s performance as they navigate a tough season.
As the Dodgers prepare to face the Yankees without their star player, the hope is that Betts will recover swiftly, allowing him to return to contribute defensively and offensively when the team needs him most.