The Los Angeles Dodgers lost a significant piece of their lineup on Sunday when Mookie Betts was hit in the left hand by a 98 mph fastball.
After initial testing, it was determined Betts suffered a fractured hand. He met with specialist Dr. Steven Shin of the Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles on Monday.
During his visit, Betts underwent additional testing to find out roughly how long he’ll be out. In addition, he received treatment for the injury, which was determined to need a splint, according to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
Betts visited a hand specialist Monday, where he was fitted with a splint.
Betts is now expected to miss anywhere from six to eight weeks, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. The initial projection has Betts returning at the end of July in a best-case scenario, or at some point in August.
That places him on a similar timeline to Corey Seager’s fractured right hand during the 2021 season that caused him to miss 65 of the Dodgers’ games.
In the meantime, Betts can’t do anything with his left hand but let it heal, which will impact the baseball activities he can partake in:
“We gotta let the fracture heal,” Gomes said, “and then go from there.”
Without Betts, the Dodgers are turning to Miguel Rojas as their primary shortstop, and Kiké Hernández will mix in at the position as well.
Shohei Ohtani was moved into the leadoff spot, and fit right in, going 3-for-5 in his first game filling the void created by Betts’ injury. Rojas also had a strong performance with a 3-for-5 effort as well against the Colorado Rockies.
To replace Betts on the roster, the Dodgers recalled Miguel Vargas from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he is expected to see starts against left-handed pitching while playing left field.
Mookie Betts using time off as rest
With Betts now out for the long term, he explained how he intends to use the new time off.
“I’m not sure. I’m honestly not sure,” Betts said when asked how he will fill the weeks ahead. “Obviously, I’ll be watching the boys and cheering them on.
“Other than that, just kind of rest, maybe use it as a mental break and be ready to go whenever it heals up.”
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