Mookie Betts is hoping that his latest stint on the injured list only lasts a couple weeks.
The Dodgers‘ star outfielder is sidelined because of a cracked right rib. It his his third stint on the IL the past two seasons.
“It’s sore but it is what it is,” Betts said Sunday before the Dodgers faced the Cleveland Guardians. “I thought it was a little bruise or something and played through it. It got worse over the next couple days and now we’re sitting here.”
Both Betts and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts were optimistic Sunday that the former MVP would only be sidelined for approximately two weeks.
Betts was injured during the first inning of Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels when he collided with Cody Bellinger in the outfield on a fly ball. Betts played the rest of that game but was scratched from the lineup on Friday and Saturday.
“With the crowd and both of us yelling I didn’t hear him (call me off),” Betts said about the play. “You don’t want to take your eye off the ball. It shouldn’t have happened but it was one of those plays where we both could have caught it. It would have been worse if no one caught it and it dropped.”
Roberts called the collision unfortunate and also agreed that it shouldn’t have happened.
Betts said he didn’t think he further aggravated the injury when he made a leaping dive on a line drive by Shohei Ohtani in the ninth inning to try and preserve Tyler Anderson‘s no-hitter. Betts wasn’t able to get to it in time and it resulted in a double.
The 2018 AL MVP and Dodgers’ leadoff hitter is tied for third in the majors with 53 runs scored and has 17 home runs, which is tied for fourth in the NL. Los Angeles is 29-7 when he scores a run.
Betts missed 22 games last season due to right hip inflammation. He will not do any baseball activities for a week before beginning to work his way back.
Zach McKinstry was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take Bellinger’s spot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.