The Los Angeles Dodgers began the 2025 MLB season in Japan, defeating the Chicago Cubs in the two-game Tokyo Series. But the Dodgers were forced to begin the season without Mookie Betts. The star shortstop was removed from the series owing to an unknown ailment.
Nearly a week later, Betts is still experiencing symptoms of the gastrointestinal illness that has caused him to drop 25 pounds. However, it looks Betts has finally turned a corner. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Betts did a full workout on Monday and was finally ready to eat solid food, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Jack Harris on X.
The Dodgers’ eight-time All-Star is set to return to the lineup on Tuesday for the final spring training game before the regular season, and if all goes well, he will play in the team’s home opener on Thursday.
Betts has had a difficult stretch, both physically and emotionally. Frustratingly, no one appears to know what caused the stomach sickness that has kept him out for the past week.
“I’m not quite sure what it is. I doubt anyone truly understands. You go weigh yourself, and you weigh 150 pounds. Before I left spring [training], I weighed 175. My stomach is, I suppose, extremely inflamed. So it’s hard to just stop eating.
“Especially because you can’t come to work and not eat,” Betts stated to Vanessa Etienne of People.
The dramatic weight loss is alarming. Betts is still having difficulty keeping food down. The ordeal has left the former MVP “scared to eat,” despite the fact that he understands that he can’t return to playing baseball until he consumes calories. So his ability to keep some solid meals down is a significant step toward recovery. The Dodgers resumed spring training after playing two regular-season games against the Cubs in Tokyo. While Betts missed the first two games of a three-game Cactus League series against the Los Angeles Angels, he will play in the final spring training game on Tuesday.
Betts described his stomach issue as more frustrating than recovering from a broken left hand that cost him 45 games last season.
After spending the majority of his career in right field, Betts briefly moved to shortstop in 2024 before returning to right when he recovered from an injury. This season, the Dodgers are making the position shift permanent, and Betts has received accolades for his transition to shortstop this spring. Now he’ll return to the field and focus on regaining strength. And hopefully, he can prevent whatever caused his strange gastrointestinal issue.
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