This article was generated by artificial intelligence and is automatically updated as news breaks. All credit belongs to the original reporters and their publications.

Mookie Betts was scratched from the Dodgers’ lineup just under two hours before first pitch at Sutter Health Park, with the team citing right wrist soreness, per DodgerBlue.com. Miguel Rojas started at shortstop in his place. The good news: this isn’t expected to be an ongoing issue, and Betts should be back in the lineup as soon as Thursday when the Dodgers return home.

Betts is the kind of player you simply cannot afford to lose for any stretch. Since moving to shortstop full-time last season — a transition that raised eyebrows before he made it look seamless — he’s been one of the most valuable players in baseball, period. The former AL MVP and multi-time Gold Glover has been a cornerstone of this lineup since arriving from Boston ahead of 2020, and his combination of on-base ability, power, and defensive versatility is irreplaceable. Any time his name shows up on an injury report, even for something minor, it gets your attention. Right wrist soreness for a right-handed hitter is the kind of thing you monitor closely, even if the initial signals are positive.

Rojas stepping in at short is about as clean a substitute as you could ask for. He’s been the primary backup there since Betts took over the position, and while his bat isn’t in the same universe as Mookie’s, he’s a steady glove who won’t give away anything defensively. That’s exactly what you want for a spot start or two.

The timing here matters. We’re heading into the July stretch where every game starts to feel a little heavier, and the Dodgers need Betts right in the middle of things. The fact that the team is downplaying this is encouraging — they didn’t place him on the injured list, and the language around a quick return suggests this is more precautionary than anything structural. I’d expect him back in the lineup Thursday at Dodger Stadium barring a setback.

That said, it’s the right wrist on a hitter who generates a ton of bat speed and torque through his swing. Even if he’s back tomorrow, it’s something worth keeping an eye on over the next week or so to make sure it doesn’t linger or affect his swing mechanics. We’ve seen players try to play through nagging wrist issues before, and it rarely ends well when it drags on. The smart play — and it sounds like the Dodgers are making it — is to give him the breather now rather than push it.

For a team with legitimate World Series aspirations, this looks like a minor speed bump. Nothing more, nothing less. Get Mookie right, get him back in the lineup, and keep rolling.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: July 2, 2026 1:05 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers