Dodgers: Mookie Betts Out of the Lineup With a Stiff Lower Back
The Dodgers will be without Mookie Betts in their lineup today. It is the second time in just 7 games that they will have to play with his bat there in the lineup or his glove in the outfield. As it turns out, it was not by design.
The Dodgers revealed that Betts is sitting with a sore back. The exact way that it was phrased was lower-back stiffness, which mostly just sounds like general aches and pains. It is not a scheduled rest day as Dave Roberts has been doing to start the year.
The Dodgers do have Chris Taylor back in the lineup today, so that will help things in the outfield. Zach McKinstry will get the opportunity in right field today with Betts out. AJ Pollock will be out in left field to complete the defense.
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Mookie has been off to a strong start to the 2021 season. Through 23 at-bats, he collected 8 hits including a homerun and 2 doubles. Betts is also reaching base at a .464 clip for the Dodgers and has scored 6 times.
Without Betts at the top of the lineup, the Dodgers won’t get the 1-2 punch of him and Corey Seager. Chris Taylor will hit leadoff in his place while he rests up. With the off-day on Thursday, Mookie should be good to go for the home opener on Friday.
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with this 2nd day off (the 5th was the other) for Betts so far it kind of confirms, to me, that he hasn’t been 100% this season. despite hitting a little bit, his speed looks slow for him, he isn’t really swinging like, say, last year. defensively is really where he just hasn’t looked like himself, just a couple steps off & looking slow getting to the ball, his throws don’t seem very strong either.
basically i think he has been playing hurt a bit. nice he’ll get a couple days off now.