Dodgers hopeful Betts (left foot) will return soon
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WASHINGTON -- Dodgers star Mookie Betts will likely miss all three games against the Nationals over the weekend, according to manager Dave Roberts, and his status for Monday’s game against the Padres will depend on how he feels.
Betts left loanDepot park on crutches following the club’s 10-0 win over the Marlins on Thursday night. He underwent X-rays at the ballpark, which came back negative, sources told MLB.com. In addition to those X-rays on Thursday, Betts underwent a CT scan and an MRI on Friday, both of which came back negative.
“Mookie is better than he was yesterday,” Roberts said Friday. “He’s in a tube somewhere in D.C. getting a CT scan. I know we’re doing the whole gamut of CT, X-rays yesterday, MRI just to kind of make sure we have all the information. [He’s] better today, I just don’t see him in there [Saturday] and most likely not in there on Sunday. We’ll see if we can get him back on Monday.”
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Betts fouled a pitch off his left foot in the first inning against left-hander Braxton Garrett on Thursday. He remained in the game without any issues, but the swelling and soreness got worse throughout the night, and he left in the eighth with Los Angeles holding a comfortable lead.
While Betts was on crutches on Thursday, Roberts said that the 30-year-old was off the crutches and walking around a little better on Friday, which is encouraging news for the Dodgers. The fact that the testing also came back negative for Betts means Los Angeles likely avoided a scare with its superstar. It remains to be seen just how much time Betts will be forced to miss with the injury, but the club is very optimistic it will be a short period of time.
“Honestly, I’m hopeful,” Roberts said when asked if it’ll be a short absence for Betts. “Just considering that he felt much better today than last night is a positive. I think right now, we’re just hoping everything comes back negative.”
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Betts reached base in four of his five plate appearances in Thursday’s win as he continues putting together an MVP-caliber campaign in his fourth season with Los Angeles. The 2018 American League MVP has a career-high 38 homers, and he leads the Dodgers with 99 RBIs and a 1.020 OPS.
With Betts out of the lineup, Kolten Wong is expected to get more playing time at second base and Jason Heyward will handle the responsibilities in right field. Chris Taylor led off in place of Betts on Friday against left-hander MacKenzie Gore and hit a go-ahead two-run double in the 8-5 win over the Nationals.