The Los Angeles Dodgers’ shortstop Mookie Betts will not play in the two-game Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs due to the illness remaining over the past week.
Manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Betts is beginning to feel better, but has lost nearly 15 pounds and is still trying to get rehydrated and gain strength. Roberts added that eight All-Stars could return to the US before the team in preparation for the domestic opening game on March 27th.
The Cubs and Dodgers will hold their major league baseball season at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday. The second game is Wednesday.
“He’s not going to play in these two games,” Roberts said. “When you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens up people to soft tissue injuries. We’re very careful about that.”
Roberts said Miguel Rojas will start with shortstop at Betts’ Place for two games at Tokyo Dome.
Betts began suffering from flu-like symptoms at the team’s spring training home in Arizona the day before the team left for Japan. He still had a long flight trip, but hasn’t recovered as quickly as he had hoped.
Roberts said he wouldn’t have traveled if the team had known the illness would last this long. Betts tried training on Sunday and was quickly exhausted.
Betts has made a full-time transition to shortstop this season after playing most of his career on right field and second base this season. The 2018 AL MVP helped the Dodgers win the World Series with 19 home runs and a .289 with 75 RBI last season.
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