Mookie Betts has been day-to-day since June 29 after suffering a right ankle injury during the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning while attempting to avoid being hit by a pitch.
Betts was originally scheduled to play on Saturday, but he was scratched from the Dodgers lineup prior to the game, with manager Dave Roberts explaining the training staff felt it was best to give the superstar time off.
The 30-year-old’s injury is considered minor and did not require an MRI, and it’s unlikely he will end up on the 10-day injured list. Betts has been progressing and the is back in the lineup for the series opener with the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.
While that may end up being the case due to the progress Betts has made, the Dodgers are going to make sure they don’t rush him back, especially with the nature of ankle injuries.
“It has gone down,” Roberts said of the swelling. “Still a little soreness, and with the ankle it’s just tricky. If there’s one movement, you can really regress quickly. So I want to be very mindful of that.”
Although it may make sense for Betts to play more second base with less running rather than right field, Roberts isn’t sure if either position has a real benefit in terms of the health of the ankle, so the former MVP would be available for any role needed when he’s back in the lineup.
“He hurt it in the batter’s box, avoiding a pitch, but if you talk about the dynamics of second base versus right field, you can probably argue the outfield,” Roberts said. “But I think for me, giving him today, as well as yesterday, and the off day, that’s the thought of having him be available for anything.
“I feel that if we get him a couple extra days, which we are, he should be 100% to do whatever we need.”
Betts has appeared in 99 games this season, hitting .277/.383/.560 with 26 doubles, 27 home runs and 68 RBI across 460 plate appearances.
Mookie Betts & Freddie Freeman won Kershaw’s Challenge Ping Pong 4 Purpose
Clayton and Ellen Kershaw welcomed his Dodgers teammates, celebrities and professional athletes to Dodger Stadium on Thursday for the 10th annual Kershaw’s Challenge Ping Pong 4 Purpose, which was hosted by Cedric The Entertainer and Max Greenfield.
While the focus of the night is for charitable purposes, players and celebrities alike get swept up in the excitement of the ping pong tournament as well.
Kershaw and Austin Barnes advanced to the championship round, where they squared off against Betts and Freddie Freeman. A competitive match was won by Betts and Freeman, who celebrated by doing the All-Star first baseman’s dance from the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala that went viral.
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