The Los Angeles Dodgers officially placed right fielder Mookie Betts on the injured list Sunday with a cracked right rib, while left-hander Andrew Heaney was activated from the injured list to start against the Cleveland Guardians.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said late Saturday that Betts was headed for the injured list, while Heaney’s return was anticipated after he went on the IL in April with left shoulder inflammation.
Heaney, 31, joined the Dodgers this past offseason and made just two starts before sustaining his injury. He was 1-0 and did not give up an earned run in 10 1/3 innings.
After two months away, he rejoins a starting staff that saw Clayton Kershaw return from the IL last week but recently lost Walker Buehler to a forearm strain.
In nine major league seasons, Heaney is 33-38 with a 4.65 ERA in 123 appearances (114 starts) for the Miami Marlins (2014), Los Angeles Angels (2015-21), New York Yankees (2021) and Dodgers.
Betts, 29, is batting .273 with 17 homers, 40 RBIs and a league-leading 53 runs through 60 games. He was injured Wednesday when he collided with center fielder Cody Bellinger in the first inning. He played the rest of that game but missed the next two contests.
The five-time All-Star and 2018 American League MVP is a career .295 hitter with 195 home runs and 607 RBIs in 1,031 games with the Boston Red Sox (2014-19) and Dodgers.
“It’s certainly a big blow for all of us,” Roberts said about Betts. “But having the information and knowing what it is, at least there’s solace in that and hopefully we’ll get him back sooner than later.”
–Field Level Media