Mookie Betts Scratched from Dodgers Lineup Over Wrist Soreness

On July 1, 2026, Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts was scratched due to wrist soreness. Manager Dave Roberts said the club was “erring on the side of caution.” Miguel Rojas filled the shortstop spot. Roberts expects Betts back for Thursday’s home opener.

New York PostDave Roberts Gives Mookie Betts Injury Update After Lineup ScratchSports IllustratedMookie Betts Suddenly Removed From Dodgers Lineup Before A’s Game

Betts entered the injury after a hot stretch: in his last 16 games he hit .373 with five homers and 11 RBIs, raising his season average to .244 and OPS to .744. He ranks second among shortstops in defensive runs saved.

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Roberts called the wrist issue “minor” and said the team does not expect a long absence. He said the Dodgers will monitor Betts and expect his return for the Padres series. Catcher Will Smith’s neck injury will keep him out for an extended period but should not affect the team’s outlook.

New York Post

Betts said he had to abandon old habits, focus on his current self, and simplify his approach: “Just hit it… Just see the ball, and hit it.”

Mookie Betts Suddenly Removed From Dodgers Lineup Before A’s Game

Local reports note the Dodgers have accumulated several “minor” injuries that later required extended IL stints, suggesting the Betts scratch reflects a broader pattern of roster volatility that could threaten offensive consistency.

Mookie Betts Suddenly Removed From Dodgers Lineup Before A’s Game

Sources report different recent averages: .373 over 16 games, .355 over 15 games, and .406 over a seven-game stretch. The variations reflect overlapping time frames rather than outright conflict.

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The Dodgers open a four-game home series against the Padres on July 2. Roki Sasaki will start the opener; Shohei Ohtani’s start is delayed to July 3. Betts is slated to return to the cleanup spot as the team leads the NL West by 12 games.

Sports Illustrated

• “I just mostly learned that all the stuff that I used to do, doesn’t apply now,” — Mookie Betts, Dodgers shortstop

Sports Illustrated

• “More MLB on Heavy: Philadelphia Phillies Proposed Trade for Orioles’ Taylor Ward Revealed Reason Behind Mookie Betts Wednesday Scratch CBSSports’ RotoWire staff hit the recent Mookie Betts lineup decision, and noted why he was absent from the Dodgers lineup on Wednesday: “Betts was a late scratch from the lineup for Wednesday’s game due to wrist soreness, but it no longer seems to be bothering him ahead of Thursday’s series opener.” — CBSSports RotoWire staff

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