Mookie Betts was hit on the left hand by a Dan Altavilla fastball as we speak, inflicting Betts to drop to the bottom in fast ache after which depart the sport. Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters (together with Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Instances) after the sport that Betts has a fractured bone within the hand and might be out of motion “for a while,” although the previous AL MVP gained’t require surgical procedure.
Extra might be recognized about Betts’ standing and a possible restoration timeline within the coming days, however that is undoubtedly an enormous blow for the Dodgers. As with all wrist- or hand-related damage, there may be loads of potential for lingering after-effects even after a participant is formally cleared for motion, given how any adjustments to grip or hand positioning on a bat can significantly alter a swing. The primary order of enterprise for Betts and the Dodgers is simply to handle this damage and the restoration in addition to doable, although the priority gained’t go away till Betts is each again on the sphere and displaying his traditional famous person kind on the plate.
Heading into as we speak’s sport, Betts was hitting .307/.407/.493 with 10 homers over a league-leading 327 plate appearances, including 16 doubles and 9 stolen bases (in 10 makes an attempt) to these spectacular numbers. Along with that sometimes glorious offensive manufacturing, Betts has additionally been taking part in a key defensive function for the Dodgers as their on a regular basis shortstop, a task Betts adopted throughout Spring Coaching after Gavin Lux was moved off the place. Whereas defensive metrics have been combined at finest on Betts’ glovework, merely the truth that Betts was prepared to alter positions and not less than passably dealt with the shortstop function simply added to his significance to the Los Angeles roster.
The Dodgers had been nonetheless anticipated to pursue center infield assist on the deadline, each as a result of Lux hasn’t hit a lot, and to probably hasten Betts’ transfer again to second base if a brand new on a regular basis shortstop was obtained. As we speak’s developments in all probability make it even likelier that L.A. will look so as to add a shortstop no matter how a lot time Betts misses, although it stays to be seen whether or not or not the Dodgers now look to make an acquisition sooner slightly than later. The group will first wish to entry Betts’ well being, in fact, and groups with obtainable infield depth would possibly all of the sudden elevate their asking costs in the event that they understand the Dodgers are in any manner determined.
Within the brief time period, Roberts stated that Miguel Vargas might be referred to as again up from Triple-A to rejoin the infield combine. Miguel Rojas will get the majority of standard shortstop responsibility, with Enrique Hernandez additionally factoring in at each shortstop and third base. Max Muncy continues to be sidelined with a lingering indirect damage and Roberts stated as we speak that Muncy’s restoration has been “even slower than anticipated,” so it’s anybody’s guess as to when the third baseman would possibly be capable of assist a suddenly-depleted Dodgers infield. Cavan Biggio was lately acquired from the Blue Jays so as to add to the depth combine, so Betts’ absence will open up extra taking part in time for Biggio at second or third base.
Rojas has lengthy been a superb defender, and he has been surprisingly productive on the dish with a .278/.328/.444 slash line over 116 PA this season. His 122 wRC+ can be the second-best mark of his 11-year MLB profession, although it’s clearly a attain to anticipate Rojas to maintain this up for a prolonged period of time, on condition that he isn’t making a lot laborious contact on the plate. Despite the fact that the Dodgers lineup is stuffed with large bats, dropping Betts additionally underlines the membership’s considerably top-heavy nature. Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernandez have all been raking and Muncy was hitting effectively pre-injury, however Lux, Enrique Hernandez, and Chris Taylor have all been ice chilly, whereas James Outman was struggling a lot that Los Angeles optioned the outfielder to Triple-A.
With a 44-29 report, the Dodgers have arguably constructed up sufficient of a cushion to resist dropping Betts for a little bit of time, as there doesn’t seem like any hazard that Los Angeles would all of the sudden fall out of the playoff race. Nevertheless, it could’t be ignored that the Dodgers at the moment are with out Betts, Muncy, and greater than a whole rotation’s price of beginning pitchers, with Yoshinobu Yamaoto and Michael Grove becoming a member of the lengthy record of injured hurlers earlier as we speak. The Dodgers have been capable of each stand up to and even thrive regardless of heavy accidents in previous seasons, but if this lacking personnel is sufficient to drop the Dodgers out of a first-round postseason bye, it would give the group an much more tough path to a World Sequence title.
