Dodgers' Mookie Betts expected to rejoin team Saturday after death in family
The 32-year-old Betts traveled to his home in Nashville for the day off Thursday and missed Los Angeles' 5-2 victory over his former team, the Boston Red Sox, on Friday night at Fenway Park.
'Mookie is: 'Wheels up,' Roberts said, sitting in the Dodgers' dugout about two hours before the scheduled first pitch. 'He's on his way here and I expect him to be at the stadium sometime around, shortly after the first pitch.'
Roberts was asked if he could say why Betts, mired in one of the worst seasons of his career, left the team.
'I think its more for him to talk about. It was something with his family and a situation where he had to be home taking care of it,' Roberts said. 'A death in the family. … For him to be with his family and to come back and be with his teammates is high priority.'
The 2018 AL MVP with Boston, Betts is batting just .238 with 11 homers and 45 RBIs this season. Last Saturday night, he was benched for a game against Milwaukee because of his struggles at the plate.
After not playing for that game, he's gone just 3 for 17 with no homers or RBIs.
Roberts said he'd talk to Betts to see how he felt when asked if he was available to come off the bench and play Saturday.
A World Series champion with the Red Sox in 2018, Betts was traded after six seasons in Boston to the Dodgers before the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, where he won his first of two Series titles with Los Angeles (in 2020 and last season).
Shortly after going to the Dodgers, Betts signed a $365-million, 12-year deal.
Some Red Sox fans were eagerly awaiting another return to Fenway by Betts, with a handful of both his Boston and LA jerseys sprinkled in the stands.
A local bar outside the Green Monster had a sign telling fans to try and not to shed a tear for Mookie.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ken Powtak, The Associated Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Francisco Lindor's RBI groundout
Francisco Lindor drives in Francisco Alvarez after grounding out to Willy Adames, putting the Mets on the board first with a 1-0 lead in the 3rd inning
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ronny Mauricio's RBI double
Ronny Mauricio rips a double down the right-field line to bring home Francisco Alvarez and give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the 5th inning
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Kansas City Royals and pitcher Seth Lugo agree to 2-year extension, AP source says
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals and right-hander Seth Lugo have agreed to a two-year extension that includes a vesting option for the 2028 season, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, which presumably takes one of the most talked-about names on the trade market off the table ahead of this week's deadline, had not been officially announced. The 35-year-old Lugo made his first All-Star Game and won his first Gold Glove last season, when he went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA in the first year of a two-year, $30 million deal that included a player option for next season. Lugo has followed that up with an even better start to this season, going 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA through 19 outings for Kansas City. Rumors surfaced of several contenders interested in trading for Lugo ahead of Thursday's deadline, and the fact that the Royals have been hanging on the fringe of contention themselves left many wondering whether they would be buyers or sellers. It appears that they are going to make a push for a second consecutive playoff appearance. The Royals acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Diamondbacks for reliever Andrew Hoffmann late Saturday, shoring up a weakness in the lineup by adding a right-handed bat. Now, they have indicated that Lugo remains big a part of their future with his extension — an especially timely one given it came the same day that All-Star pitcher Kris Bubic went on the injured list. Kansas City also is missing starters Cole Ragans and Michael Lorenzen due to injuries. Both are expected back at some point in August, and the Royals are hopeful that their return to the rotation will propel them down the stretch run. After beating the Guardians on Sunday, the Royals were four games back of the final American League wild-card spot. ___ AP MLB: Dave Skretta, The Associated Press
