The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Mookie Betts on the 10-day injured list with right hip inflammation and activated Edwin Uceta prior to Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Betts’ IL stint is retroactive to Aug. 8, which makes Aug. 18 the earliest he can return.
Betts is on the IL because of his ongoing right hip pain for a second time in less than three weeks. It wasn’t revealed until after the All-Star break that Betts had been playing through the nagging injury, along with left shoulder and lower back trouble, this season.
The Dodgers went a stretch of days without Betts in the lineup before ultimately placing him on the IL on July 25. The decision stemmed in part from a cortisone injection not having the desired impact.
Betts returned on the first day he was eligible — Aug. 1, because the IL stint was backdated — but only managed to start in five games. The Dodgers tried to further navigate Betts through the pain by playing him at second base for three of those.
Betts now is returning to Los Angeles to meet with specialists and decide on the next course of action. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not set a timetable for his return, but said the hope is Betts could be activated close to the first day he is eligible.
Uceta returns after being sidelined last week by a right back strain. He was eligible to be put on the active roster within 10 days of an IL stint beginning due to replacing an injured player.
Uceta is 0-3 with a 7.64 ERA in 12 games (one start) for the Dodgers.
Dodgers without Betts
Having already highlighted the challenges of playing the Phillies and New York Mets this week, Roberts acknowledged the National League West race is more of an uphill battle now that Betts is on the IL.
“It makes it a little more difficult, certainly when you a take a player like that. But we have a lot of talented players,” Roberts said. :Do guys in all clubhouses scoreboard watch this time of year? Absolutely.
“But I think at the end of the day we’ve just got to focus on ourselves and win baseball games. It will take care of itself.”
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