The last several days have definitely not been kind to Mookie Betts.
Speaking with reporters on Monday morning in Japan, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that the former MVP Betts will not play in the team’s two-game Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs this week. Betts is dealing with an illness that has lingered for the past week and is not yet ready to suit up.
Roberts also shared a concerning revelation about Betts. He revealed that Betts has lost close to 15 pounds due to the illness, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. Betts is thus still trying to rehydrate and regain his strength, and the Dodgers want to be cautious as dehydration can increase the risk of soft-tissue injuries, Roberts added.
Betts, 32, is officially listed at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. As such, losing close to 10 percent of your body weight in a short period of time due to an illness is obviously a big issue.
The eight-time All-Star Betts saw his numbers tail off a bit for the Dodgers last season. He hit .289 with 19 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases over 116 total games (having to sit from mid-June to mid-August due to a hand fracture suffered on a hit-by-pitch).
The Dodgers also plan to have Betts play full-time at a more physically-demanding position in 2025. Thus, they will have to make sure that Betts is fully recovered from his illness first, which hopefully comes in time for the Dodgers’ domestic opener on March 27.
