As the Los Angeles Dodgers gear up for their highly anticipated Tokyo Series, they will be without shortstop Mookie Betts who caught a bug last week, as the illness renders him out of the upcoming two-game Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Betts wasn't doing great and that the management has decided not to risk him for the game. They are also deciding on to send him back to LA early so that he can recover ahead of the Dodgers home opener on March 27 against the Detroit Tigers.
On Monday, former Mariners star Harold Reynolds gave an update on Mookie Betts’ health status. The MLB analyst covered an interview with Betts but little did he know that the shortstop was recovering from illness.
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"Yeah, the video that was shot the other day when he was taking ground balls, I was watching him work out, and we had planned that interview ahead of time, and Mookie kept his commitment, which is so Mookie Betts," Reynolds said on MLB Network.
"But at that time, I didn't know he was as sick as he was. I'm like, oh, you're getting ready for the game. He's like, man, I lost 15 pounds. That's a lot. And he hadn't been out on the field in probably three or four days, and it was just the first time he was moving through it."
Reynolds also mentioned that for Betts to return to action, he will need to get himself healthy again, put some weight back on and get back in shape.
"He was hoping he’d make it for tonight’s game, but I think you probably won’t see him until they go to LA in about a week," Reynolds added.
With Betts' absence, the Dodgers will be without one of their key stars in Tokyo, but the former MVP is on the mend and should be back in action soon.
Dodgers announces replacement for Mookie Betts at shortstop
Dave Roberts will have to undergo several changes to accommodate the new situation. Shortly after he announced Mookie Betts won't feature in the Tokyo Series, the manager said that Miguel Rojas will replace him at shortstop.
Moreover, if exhibition games were any indication, the Dodgers are likely to have Tommy Edman playing second behind leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani and ahead of Freddie Freeman.
In a matter of hours, Game 1 of Tokyo Series will be played at Tokyo Dome. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start for the Dodgers while Shota Imanaga will do so for the Cubs.
