Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts has not played since April 4, when he suffered a right oblique strain while running the bases against the Washington Nationals.
It continued what had already been a frustrating start to the season for Betts, who collected just five hits in his first 28 at-bats of 2026. Still, Betts is clearly capable of being a major contributor, and the Dodgers have been waiting for his return as his absence has now stretched to 22 games.
The 33-year-old veteran remains one of the most accomplished players of his generation, a former MVP, eight-time All-Star, seven-time Silver Slugger and six-time Gold Glove winner. He is also MLB’s active leader in championships with four, three with Los Angeles and one with the Boston Red Sox.
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Ahead of Los Angeles series finale against the Miami Marlins, Betts spoke with reporters and shared disappointing news. He revealed that he suffered a setback in his recovery after taking live batting practice. Betts said he felt renewed soreness in his right oblique earlier in the week, forcing the Dodgers to pause his progression.
He has still been able to hit in the cage and said he has “turned a corner,” hoping to ramp back up soon (h/t Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic). But any setback involving an oblique is concerning, especially for a player who relies heavily on rotational explosiveness.
Betts original timeline projected a return in 4-6 weeks. He still has a chance to fall within that window, but he had hoped to return on the early end and potentially beat the estimate entirely. That now appears unlikely, particularly because Betts will almost certainly need a rehab assignment before rejoining the Dodgers.
Mookie Betts said he felt some soreness in his oblique a couple days back when he started taking BP on the field. So they backed off. He’s been hitting in the cage the last couple days and feels he’s “turned a corner” for them to try to start that up again.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 29, 2026
In his absence, Hyeseong Kim and Miguel Rojas have handled shortstop and done a serviceable job, but the Dodgers would obviously prefer to have Betts back anchoring the middle of the field.
Still, there is no reason to rush him. Los Angeles has the depth to withstand injuries and has continued to play well, but Betts remains a central part of their plans. Until he is fully healthy, the Dodgers will prioritize caution, because they know their ceiling is tied to having Betts at full strength when it matters most in October.
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