Why isn’t Mookie Betts playing against the Cubs? MLB Tokyo Series injury update
Betts, 32, has been ruled out of the L.A. Dodgers' 2025 MLB season openers against the Chicago Cubs.
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts will play no part in the Tokyo Series this midweek, having failed to recover from an illness that also ruled him out of last weekend’s exhibition games in the Japanese capital.
Betts “much better” but not fit to play, Dodgers boss says
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said Betts is now feeling “much better”, but told reporters on Monday that the 32-year-old has lost around 15 pounds due to the illness, and has been left significantly dehydrated.
Betts will focus on returning to fitness for the Dodgers’ first domestic MLB game of the season later this month, Roberts said.
“The thing is when you lose a lot of weight, when you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens a person up to soft-tissue injuries,” the Dodgers boss explained, per MLB.com’s Sonja Chen.
“We’re very mindful of that. So to take the next week, call it, to build him back up, his strength, do some baseball activities to get ready for the home opener.”
As the Dodgers prepare for the start of the 2025 MLS season, Betts sat out the exhibition games against the Yomiuri Giants on Saturday and the Hanshin Tigers on Sunday.
When is the MLB Tokyo Series?
The Dodgers, who won their eighth World Series title last season, begin the defense of their MLB crown on Tuesday, March 18, when the Californians take on the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome.
Los Angeles then meets Chicago in the second instalment of a two-game series in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 19.
The Dodgers’ first 2025 regular-season game in the U.S. is on Thursday, March 27, when they host the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium.
An Opening Day 25 years in the making. pic.twitter.com/KSrYxBfHkx
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 17, 2025
Who will replace Betts in the Dodgers team?
Per Dodgers Nation, Roberts says Miguel Rojas is in line to replace Betts at shortstop for the two games against the Cubs.
How can I watch the Tokyo Series in the U.S.?
In the U.S., both games between the Dodgers and the Cubs will be aired nationally on Fox. The matchups will also be broadcast by SportsNet LA in the Los Angeles area and by Marquee in the Chicago area.
You can stream the action on MLB.tv (regional blackout restrictions apply), or by tuning in to Fox on the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free trial.
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