The LA Dodgers are in crisis as injuries pile up. Mookie Betts, 32, won’t be able to play for a while due to a fracture shortly after Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 26, also got injured.
Major League Baseball’s official website, MLB.com, reported on the 17th that “The Dodgers are going to be without Mookie Bet for some time, as the shortstop has a fractured left hand following a hit by a pitch in the seventh inning of a 3-0win over the Royals at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.” Betts started as the shortstop in the 2024 Major League matchup against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, recording three at-bats and one walk.
The injury occurred late in the game. In the 7th inning, with the Dodgers leading 3-0, with two outs and a runner on first, Betts took the plate for his fourth at-bat. He was hit by a 97.9 mph fastball from Kansas City’s Dan Altavilla. He immediately fell to the ground in severe pain as Dave Roberts rushed to his side. Eventually, Betts was replaced by pinch-runner Miguel Rojas.
The Dodgers announced, “Betts suffered a fractured hand, but he doesn’t need surgery.” However, they did not announce a specific return schedule.
This is a huge loss for the Dodgers, as Bett was the most consistent hitter.
Betts was drafted by the Red Sox and made his Major League debut in 2014. He is a top star with a career batting average of .295 (1,571 hits in 5,327 at-bats), 262 home runs, 796 RBIs, 1,046 runs, 181 stolen bases, and an OPS of .899. He also won the American League MVP in 2018.
However, his time in Boston was short-lived. In 2020, he was traded with the Dodgers. He then immediately signed a $392 million, 13-year contract extension.
This season, he sought change. Betts switched his position to shortstop after winning the Gold Glove six times as a right fielder. Despite the shift, Betts remained strong. He’s hitting .304 (86 hits in 283 at-bats) with 10 home runs, 40 RBIs, 50 runs, 9 stolen bases, and an OPS of .893.
Now the Dodgers have lost Betts. Despite leading the National League with a record of 44 wins, 29 losses, and a .603 winning percentage, they are losing a lot of players due to injury.
MLB.com reported, “The Dodgers had a tough day on the injury front, placing Yoshinobu Yamamoto (right triceps) and Michael Grove (right flank) on the injured list ahead of the game.”
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