The early-season injuries keep popping up in Major League Baseball. This time, the Los Angeles Dodgers have lost a key member of the lineup.
Shortstop Mookie Betts left the field on Saturday afternoon as the Dodgers faced off with the Nationals. He scored on Freddie Freeman’s two-run double and then headed back to the dugout. As he left the field, manager Dave Roberts asked a question.
The Dodgers then announced on X that Betts had left the game with right low back pain. Miguel Rojas replaced him at shortstop as the battle of the coasts continued.
Mookie Betts left today’s game with right low back pain.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 4, 2026
The Los Angeles-based team, who are defending World Series champions, continued putting points on the board after making the roster switch. Alex Freeland scored after Rojas blasted a sacrifice fly to center field. Kyle Tucker and Shohei Ohtani then scored after Freeman hit another double.
The big plays continued with Andy Pages, Will Smith, Max Muncy, and Alex Call all crossing home plate. Muncy and Smith both scored after Pages hit a home run in the fifth inning. The team built up a 10-2 lead one day after winning 13-6.
Betts, who is currently playing on his 12-year, $365 million deal, has appeared in seven games this season for the Dodgers. He has 31 plate appearances with five hits, one double, two home runs, and seven RBIs. He has scored six runs.
The Nashville native is not the only MLB player to exit a game early this season due to injury. Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk left a game against the White Sox after a foul ball fractured his thumb. He will be on the 10-day injured list while visiting with a hand specialist.
The Tigers also announced that pitcher Justin Verlander will be on the 15-day injured list while dealing with left hip inflammation. The Mets lost outfielder Juan Soto against the Giants after dealing with right calf tightness. The Mets noted that Soto would undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.
