8x All-Star Mookie Betts to MISS LA Dodgers’ season opener in Tokyo due to illness

Mookie Betts will be out of action during the LA Dodgers' season opener against the Chicago Cubs during the Tokyo Series due to an illness.

8x All-Star Mookie Betts to MISS LA Dodgers’ season opener in Tokyo due to illness

Mookie Betts (Image via Bleacher Report)

Ahead of the 2025 season opener in Tokyo, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been dealt a setback. 8-time MLB All-Star Mookie Betts is set to miss the opening 2 games against the Chicago Cubs due to an illness that has lingered with him for the past week.

The Dodgers are currently in Tokyo and took part in two exhibition games at the Tokyo Dome. They will then take on their National League rivals, the Chicago Cubs, in a two-game series before heading back to the United States.

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Betts had been dealing with this issue even before the plane left for Japan. As per reports, he reported this illness to the team, a day before they left during the Spring Training in Arizona. According to his manager, Dave Roberts, Betts has lost around 15 pounds since this illness.

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He’s not going to play in these two games. When you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens a person up to soft tissue injuries. We’re very mindful of that.

Dave Roberts told the reporters at the Tokyo Series press conference

The 2025 season is going to be a big one for Betts. The 3-time World Series winner will transition into the shortstop position permanently. He had previously played most of his time as the first or second baseman.

He had a smooth time during the Spring Training at this position and did not commit any errors. Till the time he is out, Miguel Rojas is expected to play in the shortstop role.

Speaking of the Tokyo Series, the Dodgers won the first exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants by 5-1 scoreline. They then ended up getting shutout in the second exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers, who came out as 3-0 winners.

Mookie Betts points out major atmosphere difference between Japanese and US crowds after Shohei Ohtani’s home run

In the first exhibition game of the Tokyo Series, Shohei Ohtani electrified the Tokyo Dome with a towering two-run home run in the third inning. The crowd would erupt in huge cheers as Ohtani circled the bases. Mookie Betts later pointed out a major atmosphere difference between the Japanese and the US crowds.

Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts
Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts (Image via Sports Illustrated)

While speaking with MLB Network, Betts claimed that the crowd in Japan clapped on every hit and there was no major heckling incidents as compared to the United States.

It’s hard to kind of explain. They (Japanese fans) are watching the game, every time somebody hits the the ball it’s like ‘Ohh’. Every single time, Punch outs, there’s a lot of clapping and what not. No real heckling. No real heckling going on, everybody’s just kind of appreciating and watching the game, which is a nice change of pace.

Mookie Betts said

Betts certainly knows a thing or two about fan heckling. During the 2024 World Series Game 4 against the New York Yankees at the Yankee Stadium, Betts was involved in a huge fan interference case.

As he tried to catch a foul ball, Betts jumped high in the air. At that time two fans interfered in the play. One grabbed the glove of Betts with both hands and tried to pry out the ball, while another grabbed the right hand of the Dodgers star.

The play was deemed as interference and Gleyber Torres was judged out. Meanwhile, the two fans were later banned from all parks for an indefinite time.

Japanese pitching duo Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki to start in Tokyo Series for LA Dodgers

While Mookie Betts will be missing the action from the Tokyo Series, two of his Japanese teammates are gearing up for a big start. As per team manager Dave Roberts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki will start Games 1 and 2 against the Chicago Cubs.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki (Image via X)

While Yamamoto was expected to start one of the games, there was some discussion on who would start the other game. After impressing in his Spring Training debut, Sasaki was likely going to be named as the other starter. This was confirmed last Thursday.

The first game of the new season will thus see an all-Japanese pitcher dual as Shota Imanaga will take the mound from the Cubs’ side. As for the second game, Justin Steele will start for the Cubs.

After this series, the two teams will return to US Soil and play in a few more exhibition games before getting ready for the traditional season opener on March 27. While the Dodgers will host the Detroit Tigers, the Cubs will take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.