Mookie Betts
Down 15 Pounds After Illness
Set to Miss Opening Series
Published
The Los Angeles Dodgers will be starting the 2025 season without their star shortstop, Mookie Betts, who will miss the opening series due to an illness that caused him to drop 15 pounds.
Manager Dave Roberts revealed the news in Tokyo, mentioning that while Betts is recovering, he still needs to regain strength and rehydrate after being ill for a few days.
“When you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens a person up to soft tissue injuries. We’re very mindful of that,” Roberts stated, emphasizing the importance of Betts’ health and avoiding any potential injuries.
Betts began showing flu-like symptoms before the team’s journey to Japan, and despite working out, he appeared fatigued and unwell on the field.
Mookie Betts gingerly walking off the field after working out pregame. He is sick and will sit out his second straight game before being reevaluated tomorrow to see if he can play Opening Day against the Cubs. pic.com/H2cSqIKWWv
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) March 16, 2025
@ArashMarkazi
Roberts mentioned the possibility of sending Betts back to Los Angeles for further recovery, admitting that if they had known the extent of his illness, they would have kept him in LA instead of traveling to Japan.
Courtesy of MLB
Despite Betts’ absence, excitement is high for the upcoming L.A. vs. Chicago games in Tokyo, with around 10,000 fans attending the workout at the Tokyo Dome.
The first game is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 A.M. PST, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting for L.A. and Shota Imanaga taking the mound for the Cubs.
