In the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day lineup, Mookie Betts will be batting second and playing shortstop against the Detroit Tigers in their home opener. The Tigers will have Tarik Skubal, the American League Cy Young Award winner, on the mound.
Betts, who is 32 years old, missed the first two games of the season in the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19 due to flu-like symptoms. He was out of the lineup for two more spring training games upon the team’s return to the U.S. However, he made a comeback in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Angels in the Freeway Series, playing shortstop and going 0-for-3 while batting second.
Before his return, Betts had lost 18 pounds due to the illness, bringing his weight down to 157 pounds from his usual 180 pounds. He expressed frustration at not being able to keep food down and feeling drained. Despite his eagerness to play, he struggled with vomiting whenever he tried to eat solid food.
Initially expected to play on Sunday, Betts continued to experience vomiting, prompting him to sit out that day’s game. He managed to maintain a workout routine despite his illness, but eating solid food was a challenge for him.
Concerns have now arisen about Enrique Hernández potentially experiencing a similar illness to Betts’, as he is also dealing with vomiting and difficulty keeping food down. However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts assured that there is no cause for alarm about a sickness spreading in the team.
Moving forward, Betts will be the Dodgers’ starting shortstop for the season, having previously played right field for most of his career. Despite his position change last year, he performed well with a .289 batting average, an .863 OPS, 19 home runs, 24 doubles, 75 RBI, and 16 stolen bases in 2024, albeit limited to 116 games due to a fractured left hand.
