The Los Angeles Dodgers got hit with their second piece of bad news ahead of Tuesday night's game against the Miami Marlins. After losing Teoscar Hernandez to the injured list, Mookie Betts will also be on the bench for the game against the Marlins. Dave Roberts will turn to James Outman and Hyeseong Kim to pick up the slack.
Betts and Hernandez were two of the team's consistent presences throughout the first part of the season. They missed just five games between the two of them before their clash against Miami, steadying the Dodgers' offense along with Shohei Ohtani. The National League MVP candidate will have more on his offensive plate tonight as the team is without two of their stars.
Luckily for Los Angeles fans, Betts' absence doesn't have anything to do with injury. Tuesday was simply a scheduled day off for Betts, according to Roberts. The baseball season is a marathon, and many of the league's top players have rest days spread throughout the season to save their bodies. That, combined with the Marlins poor record, made them a good target for Betts to rest against.
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Betts should enjoy his day off while he can, because he might not get another one for a while. With Hernandez out for at least a week with a groin injury, the Dodgers lose a big part of their offensive attack. Betts is more than capable of picking up the slack, but will need to play with less rest.
The injury bug is the only issue bothering Los Angeles this season. The Dodgers have players on the mound and in the order out with injury, but are still atop the league when it comes to their record. Regardless, they hope for a speedy recovery for Hernandez and will await Betts' return to the lineup on Wednesday.
