Mookie Betts Headed to IL With Strained Oblique, Out Four to Six Weeks

The Dodgers just lost one of their biggest bats. Mookie Betts is hitting the injured list with a strained right oblique, manager Dave Roberts confirmed Sunday. And this one stings because LA is already knee deep into the season.

Here's what went down: Betts left Saturday's 10-5 win over Washington after the top of the first inning with what the team initially called lower back pain. An MRI told the real story. The injury was to his oblique, and Roberts believes Betts suffered it on a checked swing during his first at-bat Saturday. The 33-year-old drew a walk in that first inning, eventually scoring on Freddie Freeman's two-run double, but he was pulled from the field before the bottom half. Miguel Rojas took over at shortstop and was back in the lineup Sunday.

The Timeline and Early Season Impact

Roberts said the injury should sideline Betts for four to six weeks, but when asked how soon he might return, the skipper said he would "take the under" on that timeline according to the Orange County Register. Translation: it could be even longer than six weeks. That's a massive blow this early in the year.

Betts is coming off a huge 2025 where he played 150 games and even started the 6-6-3 double play that won Game 7 of the World Series for Los Angeles. But he's been slow to get rolling this year, sitting at .179 with two home runs and seven RBIs through early April. Still, losing your shortstop and a future Hall of Famer for weeks is never the answer, no matter what his current numbers look like.

What's Next for the Dodgers

LA recalled infielder Hyeseong Kim from the minors to fill the roster spot. Rojas will hold down shortstop in Betts' absence, so the Dodgers have some continuity defensively. But that right-handed bat? That's going to be missed in the lineup, and there's no way around it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.