Mookie Betts Needs to Show Massive Improvement to Be Able to Play in Dodgers Opening Day

Gabe Smallson | Mar 16, 2025

Mar 4, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers are at risk of being without superstar Mookie Betts for Opening Day.

The shortstop missed the team's last two Cactus League games of the season and the two exhibition games as part of the Tokyo Series in Japan. With Opening Day on Tuesday, the illness he is battling may be too much for manager Dave Roberts to comfortably let him compete.

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“I think that we’re really trying to be mindful of not just Opening Day but not putting him in harm’s way,” Roberts said. “He hasn’t taken live at-bats or played in any games (in a week) and not to put him in a position where he potentially could get hurt.

"I just don’t think the training staff would feel good about that.”

This Dodgers team is built for October and beyond. Risking one of the pillars of the team for a game in March may be too large of a bet with too little of a return.

Opening Day is certainly one of the more important regular season games of the year, and doing so in Japan is just another testement to the impact of this team on the rest of the world, but Betts needs to show more improvement in his health if fans want to see him take the field.

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Per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, there is an optional Dodgers workout Monday morning, and Betts is expected to be a part of it in some capacity.

In Sunday's ground ball fielding session, Betts showed a lot of signs of dehydration and took frequent breaks with his hands on his knees. The Dodgers skipper spoke on how hard the All-Star is working to try and get ready by Opening Day.

“Really showed some fatigue, understandably so,” Roberts said.

The skipper also noted that Betts had lost a little weight this past week as he has been under the weather.

As important as the eight-time All-Star is to the ball club, his health is paramount to a regular season game. Whatever ends up being the final decision, there is no question that Betts has been doing everything in his power to get back to the diamond.

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