Mookie Betts and Dodgers in wait-and-see mode with his injury

Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times on Apr 4, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

WASHINGTON — Shortstop Mookie Betts is likely to be sidelined at least two games after leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win against the Washington Nationals on Saturday because of lower back pain on his right side, according to manager Dave Roberts.

“We’ll huddle up and see if we need to get a player here to protect against us, depending on how the MRI comes [out],” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 10-5 win. “But he certainly won’t be playing the next couple days, I would assume.”

Betts walked in his first plate appearance and scored on Freddy Freeman’s two-run double in the first inning. Betts hurt his back while running home, according to Roberts. When the Dodgers took the field in the bottom half of the inning, Miguel Rojas jogged out to short.

Betts was scheduled to undergo an MRI scan Saturday night, Roberts said.

“It’s certainly more moderate than significant,” Roberts said. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”

Betts entered this year at full strength after being weakened by illness at the beginning of last season. He embraced new training methods, with an emphasis on stretching. And he was looking forward to seeing the effects javelin throwing would have on his throws to first on plays in the hole.

Like several stars, Betts got off to a slow start at the plate, batting just .179. But in the Dodgers’ 13-6 win Friday against the Nationals, he recorded his second home run and first two-hit game of the season.

“Disappointed for him,” Roberts said. “Because we’re sort of starting to get going a little bit, and the way he’s playing defense, and he’s a big part of what we do. Any time you miss, it’s going to take some time to kind of get your footing. So disappointed for him, but hopeful that it’s not long term.”

In the short term, Rojas and Alex Freeland can cover for Betts. If Betts lands on the injured list, the Dodgers could recall Hyeseong Kim from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Entering Saturday, Kim was hitting .346 with a .438 on-base percentage in 32 plate appearances.

____