Dodgers Hope to Get Mookie Betts Back on Tuesday

After sitting out the past few games with lower back tightness, Mookie Betts will once again be unavailable for the Dodgers in the series finale against the Nationals this afternoon.

The issue was not believed to be serious, but it was clearly enough to keep Betts out for the past week. The good news is that he seems to be progressing, and manager Dave Roberts is optimistic about him returning to action as early as Tuesday’s home game against Colorado.

Following Saturday’s 9-5 victory over the Nationals, Roberts provided an update on the All-Star outfielder and his recovery from the back issues.

He ran, hit, played some catch… so with the off day coming on Monday, I think the hope right now for me is that he’ll be back in there Tuesday. But we’re not going to put him in there unless he’s ready to go.

Roberts clarified that the team doesn’t believe it to be an IL situation, rather they are simply playing it safe in the early days of the regular season.

It’s worth noting that these players have not had a full season of baseball in two years, and the transition from 60 to 162 isn’t as simple as just adding back the additional games. Players will need to be monitored closely to avoid any serious injuries throughout the spring and into the summer and fall months.

Luckily for the Dodgers, they have the depth to keep winning games while players like Mookie Betts focus on being 100% before returning.

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