Notes: Betts back in lineup; Joc makes progress
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Mookie Betts, out five days with food poisoning, was back in the Wednesday night lineup. Betts said he gets food poisoning about once a year and wasn’t worried that he had anything highly contagious.
He said he lost “three or four pounds” while sick, but he’s back to normal. He said he had no idea what he ate to get sick.
Betts went 0-for-2 in the game, which was called in the seventh inning after a steady rain, with the Dodgers beating Milwaukee, 4-1.
Corey Seager homered and Walker Buehler struck out four with two walks in four innings. Closer Kenley Jansen and lefty relievers Scott Alexander and Caleb Ferguson pitched a scoreless inning each.
Edwin Rios twisted his left knee coming out of a muddy batter’s box on a fifth-inning RBI single but remained in the game. Manager Dave Roberts said Rios was not injured.
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Joc eyes spring action
Joc Pederson hasn’t played in a Cactus League game yet because of a right hip injury, but manager Dave Roberts said he still believes the outfielder can make the Opening Day roster.
Pederson played five innings in one Minor League game and Roberts said he could play in a Major League game “sometime next week,” pushing back a previous timeline of this weekend. Roberts said Pederson hasn’t begun throwing to bases from the field.
“That’s been more of a hurdle than the swing,” Roberts said.
Taking precautions
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had little information to share when asked how the Dodgers will respond to recent developments around the coronavirus pandemic.
“Things are changing and obviously very fluid,” said Friedman. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure our players, our fans, our staff, everyone is being looked after and we’re being smart in how to handle this. We have a little bit of time as we are starting to shut down here and move to L.A. I don’t know what that means right now.”
Dodgers players have been given cards to hand to fans instead of signing autographs to limit exposure and contact. Friedman said there has been no suspected cases of the virus with any club personnel.
Up next
The Dodgers play split-squad games on Thursday. Ross Stripling will start against the Cubs in Mesa and David Price will start at Camelback Ranch against Oakland. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. PT.