Mookie Betts hadn’t played since March 9, the day before he traveled to Tokyo with his teammates for the season opener. He began feeling unwell due to an undisclosed stomach illness, which sidelined him for nearly 20 days. However, he finally returned to action and is set to play on Thursday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ infielder went hitless in three at-bats on Tuesday against the Angels in his final Spring Training game. Despite losing 20 pounds due to his illness, he is ready to take the field for the home opener against the Tigers.
“He’s going to go through a work day as far as some grounders and some stuff on the field, in the cage as well,” manager Dave Roberts said to MLB.com after the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the Angels on Tuesday. “But he’ll be ready for the home opener.”
Mookie Betts played five innings at shortstop in Tuesday’s game and was set to face live pitching on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium before the season opener. He is expected to start at shortstop for the Dodgers on Thursday.
“My body’s been perfectly fine. It’s only been my stomach, literally only my stomach,” Betts said on Tuesday to MLB.com. “I’ve been working out, doing everything perfectly normal. It was just hard to hold down food.”
If the Dodgers’ shortstop is ready to go, the only question is how long it will take him to regain his ideal weight after losing nearly 20 pounds in two weeks.
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There is another question Mookie Betts will have to answer in the coming days. The Dodgers will visit the White House soon as the reigning World Series champions, but according to the Los Angeles Times, he has yet to decide whether he will join President Donald Trump in Washington.
