Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts hasn’t played since June 15, and was diagnosed with a cracked rib.
He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday, and the team recalled Zack McKinstry from the minor leagues.
They have other plans to replace the All-Star and former MVP outfielder, however, because he could be sidelined for at least two more weeks.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic talked about the Dodgers’ plans following Betts’ placement on the injured list.
“With Mookie out, Dodgers looking to acquire RHH OFer at minimal prospect cost to platoon with Eddy Alvarez in right, source says. Could look for bigger piece in trade later or possibly promote Miguel Vargas, a highly regarded 3B prospect who has 10 homers and an .851 OPS at AAA,” Rosenthal said via Twitter.
With Mookie out, Dodgers looking to acquire RHH OFer at minimal prospect cost to platoon with Eddy Alvarez in right, source says. Could look for bigger piece in trade later or possibly promote Miguel Vargas, a highly regarded 3B prospect who has 10 homers and an .851 OPS at AAA.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 20, 2022
The Dodgers Could Be Active In The Trade Market
The Dodgers sure love their platoons, and they will make sure they pick up a cheap, productive player from the trade market in the upcoming days.
They are known for their player development magic, so it doesn’t have to be a household name for them to turn him into a productive player with a few days of planning and coaching.
They do seem to be plotting a bigger move once we move closer to the deadline, and they rarely disappoint when they set their sights on a player around the end of July.
Betts was hitting .273/.349/.535 with 17 homers and six steals across 275 plate appearances at the time of his injury, so they will need to replace the best player on the roster for at least a couple of weeks.
Any option they decide to bring will likely soften the blow of losing Betts, but shouldn’t be expected to replicate his production since he is one of the top 10 players in the game.
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