Dodgers Expect Mookie Betts to Miss 6-8 Weeks with Hand Fracture Injury After HBP

The return timeline for Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has been revealed.

On Monday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that the team is expecting Betts to miss roughly 6-8 weeks with a hand fracture (per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). Roberts compared the timeline to when former Los Angeles shortstop Corey Seager missed 65 games in 2021 with a similar injury.

Betts suffered the fractured hand when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning of the Dodgers' 3-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Roberts confirmed after the game that the 31-year-old will not need surgery.

The loss of the seven-time All-Star is a tough blow for Los Angeles, as Betts was in the midst of another impressive season at the plate as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter. Through 72 games, he was hitting .304 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs.

Betts also owned a .405 on-base percentage to start the year, which would represent the third-highest mark of his career over the course of a full season. After Sunday's contest, he detailed his plans as he recovers.

"Obviously, I'll be watching the boys, cheering them on," Betts said, via Sarah Wexler of MLB.com. "But other than that, it's just kind of rest, maybe use it as a mental break. Be ready to go whenever it heals up."

While the Dodgers still hold a commanding eight-game lead in the NL West, they've dealt with a string of injuries throughout the 2024 season. In addition to Betts, starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strained rotator cuff. Third baseman Max Muncy also remains out after suffering an oblique strain on May 15.

In Betts' absence, Los Angeles will likely lean on veteran Miguel Rojas at shortstop after he appeared in 124 games with the team in 2023.