The Dodgers announced this morning that they have signed the veteran star Mookie Betts on the 10-day injured list. Jack Harris of the California Post reports that, according to manager Dave Roberts, Betts suffered a serious injury. Utility man Hyeong Kim he was reminded of the children at the same time. Maddie Lee of the LA Times first reported that the club might recall Kim earlier this morning, though she noted that they intended to ask Betts about the condition of his back before doing so.
It’s hard to know how long Betts will be sidelined until the Dodgers provide a more solid timeline, but oblique types are notoriously difficult for position players due to the nature of the hitting rotation. Even the mildest types of obliques can require weeks on the shelf due to the risk of re-injury, so it’s entirely possible that the Dodgers will be without their star shortstop until May. The most important oblique type can take a very long time, and the rehabilitation work will push back Betts’ timeline. The good news, though, is that The Athletic’s Katie Woo wrote that Roberts didn’t put an immediate timeline on the veteran’s recovery window but that the team hopes he can return before the normal recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks.
No matter how long it takes for Betts to return, it doesn’t mean losing him is a real blow. The 33-year-old is coming off a 2025 season in which he posted a wRC+ of just 104, but he’s been able to establish himself as a solid defensive stopper and has the power to bounce back offensively this year if his health allows. Betts’ loss is something the club can’t answer in the short term thanks to other stars on the roster and a strong early season performance. Andy Pagesbut it will be difficult to deny his absence from a defensive point of view.
In the past, Miguel Rojas he was tapped to handle shortstop for the Dodgers when Betts was injured. That still appears to be the case for now, as Rojas is expected to fill in at shortstop during today’s game against the lefty. Foster Griffin. That being said, Rojas has played the position on a gradual decline over the past few years and is now 37 years old. If the Dodgers find themselves losing a defensive tackle at the position, perhaps Kim could be another option given his experience in the club’s short stint last year. MLB.com’s Sonja Chen reports that Kim and Rojas are expected to share the shortstop spot, hopefully Alex Freeland more progress and handling of second base. Freeland has more than 3000 hits in the minors but has yet to pitch in the majors.
As for Kim, the 27-year-old has hit .346/.438/.385 in six games at Triple-A since the Dodgers’ surprising decision to option him from the minors earlier in the season, and his 95 wRC+ in 71 games for LA last year was very acceptable for a utility player. Given that the Dodgers have shown the option to play both Rojas and Santiago Espinal against left-handed pitching, that paves the way for Kim to get regular returns against right-handed pitching while Betts is on the shelf as the team’s shortstop next to Freeland at second. Against lefties, Rojas at shortstop and Espinal at second base seem to be the preferred options, though the Dodgers may consider giving up. Max Muncy breathing to get Freeland (or Kim) in the lineup against a southpaw or two. While Freeland has been safe from leaving so far in his young MLB career, he is a versatile player whose development could benefit from taking more reps on his weak side in the big leagues.
