Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Shows Optimism After Injury

TORONTO — After being placed on the disabled list due to a right oblique strain, Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts felt optimistic about his recovery, stating he is “light years ahead” of where he thought he’d be following the injury that occurred Saturday.

“Honestly, I don’t even feel it hurting,” Betts mentioned. “I’m in a much better spot than I initially expected.”

Betts left Saturday’s game after a “small grab” in his right side while running home on Freddie Freeman’s double. Initially, the team’s description of his injury pointed towards lower back pain, but Betts wasn’t caught off guard when an MRI revealed it was, in fact, an oblique issue.

He has dealt with similar problems before, having suffered a strained left oblique while playing for the Boston Red Sox in 2018, causing him to miss two weeks that season.

Betts is hopeful that this recent injury won’t be as serious and expects to return sooner than later. “That (injury) happened on the swings, so I knew it was much worse than this,” he reflected.

Before his injury, Betts was having a slow start to the season, batting only .179. Still, even after what many deemed as the worst offensive season of his career in 2025, he had already hit two home runs this year. He spent the offseason trying to adjust his swing to achieve more consistent contact.

The Dodgers are currently optimistic that Betts’ absence won’t hinder their performance. Manager Dave Roberts mentioned that they anticipate Betts will be back “sooner rather than later.”

Looking back, Betts finds humor in his past experience with injuries, recalling his 2018 success after the oblique injury, which ultimately led to an MVP award and a World Series victory over the Dodgers.

With a smile, Betts said, “Yeah, let’s see what happens this time.”