Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers Have Concerning Update on Mookie Betts Injury

May 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) in the dugout before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
May 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) in the dugout before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts was last in the lineup for the Dodgers on May 28 against the Cleveland Guardians.

The starting shortstop wasn't present for this past series back at home against the New York Yankees due to a fracture in the fourth toe on his left foot. He stubbed his toe at his house on Wednesday and may be at risk of missing more time, according to manager Dave Roberts.

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The skipper admitted that the superstar could be dealing with this for "quite some time," but pain management is the current course of action for Betts.

As for a stint on the injured list, Roberts didn't appear to be trending towards that decision.

"Probably don’t think that four days [off] versus 14 days or 15 days is going to make much of a difference," Roberts said.

With 15 pitchers currently shelved on the injured list, another IL trip for one of the offensive centerpieces would be a significant blow. Lately, however, Betts isn't getting the same kind of contact that fans are accustomed to, despite his .254 batting average on the year.

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Betts is in the 15th percentile of barrel hits, and the 24th percentile of hard-hit percentage among qualified players. A barrel is constituted as a batted ball with the ideal combination of exit velocity and launch angle, while a 'hard-hit ball' is one with an exit velocity of 95 mph or higher.

In terms of launch angle, the sweet-spot being between eight and 32 degrees, Betts is above average, as 37.8% of the time, his offerings meet this requirement. A large portion of this can be attributed to his below-average bat speed, ranked in just the ninth percentile among qualified hitters.

When Betts is back on the diamond, his elite defense and plate discipline will continue to be huge for the Dodgers moving forward. Not to mention, his clutch hits and ability to come up big when the lights shine brightest make him one of the most integral members of the team.

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For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.


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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles. His focus is sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at DodgersNation and Newsweek. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and is a Masters Candidate at the University of Southern California. You can get in touch with Gabe by emailing gabe.smallson@lasportsreport.com. You can find him on X @gabesmallson