Mookie Betts' Injury: Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle

0:00On April 17, Dodger's star Mookie Betts is out with an oblique strain, and no firm timeline yet from the team. These injuries hit position players hard because of all the twisting and swings, so even a minor one could keep him sideline for weeks, maybe until. May, worst case, it drags longer with rehab, but the good news is, they're optimistic, he beats the usual 4-6 week mark. Losing Betts hurts big time, especially on defense where he's locked down shortstop. At 33, he bounced back from a down 2025 season and could mash again if healthy. The lineup has firepower to cover his bet short term, thanks to guys like Andy Pages stepping up early. Miguel Rojas steps in as short for now, handling today's game against Lefty Foster Griffin. But at 37, he's not playing there as much lately, so they might split time with Tommy Kim, who knows the position from last year. Kim's tearing it up in AAA, hitting 346 over 6 games since they optioned him down to start the season.

1:01Last year, his 95 WRC Plus was solid for a utility guy. Expect him as short against Rides next to Alex Friedland. At second, while Rojas and San Diego Espanol handle lefties, the Dodgers have options to mix and match, even giving Max Monty breathers to get Friedland or Kim more looks. Friedland's a switch hitter building experience, so this could help his growth while they navigate with our bets. That wraps MLB News Today, brought to you with AI.