The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies for an eighth consecutive time this season but finished their latest win without Mookie Betts, who was removed in the seventh inning due to right hip irritation.
“I’m good,” Betts said after going 4-for-4 with three doubles and one home run. “I’ve been dealing with it. I think I just made it a little more mad than normal, but I’m fine.”
Betts’ final at-bat of the night resulted in a double because Garrett Hampson and Charlie Blackmon collided in the right-center field gap, but it was also on that play the five-time All-Star pulled up lame.
Betts limped into the clubhouse after a brief conversation with a Dodgers trainer. Though he was unable to play after gingerly jogging into second base, it was scoring on Max Muncy’s base hit in the sixth inning that initially aggravated the right hip.
“It just kind of got a little worse. I think being in Colorado, it’s kind of tough on your body to heal. But I’m all right,” Betts said.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed the hip irritation was a “nagging” issue Betts has played through this season — along with left shoulder and back trouble. When explaining a decision to not participate in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, Betts was vague but cited needing rest and recovery time from various malaises.
“That was part of the nagging things,” he acknowledged of the hip. “I just wasn’t trying to make any excuses for anything. I got some work in, I’m good.”
Betts recovered during break
The All-Star break afforded the 28-year-old an opportunity to head home to Nashville, Tennessee, where he did rest but also continued some work.
“I did some hitting, for sure,” Betts said. “But hitting and pilates, those were the only things I did.”
He’s come out of the All-Star break on a tear and in the past four games is 12-for-16 with four doubles, three home runs and seven RBI.
“I think I just found a little something that I can continue to repeat,” Betts explained. The break did some good for me. I was able to get some more work in and able to find something I can repeat. … Going home was huge. Just happy I got that break and hopefully I can continue doing what I’m doing.”
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