Mookie Betts injured by 95-mph pitch in Dodgers’ loss to Mariners
The Dodgers lost to the Mariners 4-3 on Monday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle to drop consecutive games for the first time this season, but they might have suffered a more significant loss before the game was over.
Mookie Betts crumpled to the ground, biting his gold chain in pain, in the ninth inning when Seattle right-hander Rafael Montero hit him on the right forearm with a 95-mph sinker. Betts drew an immediate visit from manager Dave Roberts and trainer Yosuke Nakajima. He eventually stayed in the game. Corey Seager then grounded into a double play to seal the defeat.
After the game, Roberts said Betts will undergo tests. He said he didn’t know whether Betts will play in Tuesday’s matinee. Betts went two for four before he was plunked.
“A lot of soft tissue,” Roberts said. “I’m sure there’s going to be some bruising, maybe some swelling. So I just won’t know more until he shows up tomorrow.”
The Dodgers already have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season. Cody Bellinger (fibula) and second baseman Gavin Lux (wrist) are on the injured list, while Betts dealt with a lower-back injury that kept him out of four games earlier in the season.
The Dodgers got back their winning ways on Tuesday thanks to a strong pitching effort in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
The Dodgers still have posted the best record in the majors at 13-4, but losing Betts, the reigning National League MVP runner-up, for a long stretch of time would be difficult to absorb.
“Obviously, Mookie is going to want to be in there. I just want to make sure that it doesn’t affect his throwing or his swing,” Roberts said. “So I think that he’s pretty honest with me. So if he feels like he can play, then he’ll be in there.”
Offense muzzled
The Dodgers were held to five hits Monday and have 11 hits over their last three games. Betts, Seager and Justin Turner — the top three batters in Monday’s lineup — combined for four of the hits and three walks. Seager’s two-run home run was almost all the offense. The rest of the team went one for 21 with two walks.
The Dodgers encountered some bad luck with runners on first and second in the seventh inning when Will Smith smacked a line drive that Mariners third baseman Dylan Moore caught with a leap.
“We had a chance to win tonight, and you’re going to have games like that,” Roberts said.
Max Muncy didn’t start Monday and was available to pinch-hit in the ninth inning, but Roberts elected to have Luke Raley and Edwin Rios hit for themselves to begin the inning. Raley flied out before Rios walked to bring up Betts.
More sloppy defense
Second baseman Chris Taylor’s error with two outs in the fourth inning ended up hurting May when Trammell followed with an RBI double. Taylor’s miscue continued the Dodgers’ poor defense as of late. On Friday, the Dodgers committed three errors against San Diego. On Sunday, Seager’s throwing error in the eighth inning of a tie game ultimately cost the Dodgers three runs.
“I just think that we’re a really good defensive team,” Roberts said. “I think that ball took a hop on C.T. But we still have to make pitches, that’s the bottom line, and I’ll take our defense against anybody.”
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