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Dodgers’ Mookie Betts making progress but not ready to return yet

April 15, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts is symptom-free in his recovery from an oblique injury. But that doesn’t mean his return to action is imminent.

Betts will be eligible to come off the injured list for the weekend series in Colorado, but he has not started swinging a bat yet as part of his daily workouts.

“He’s moving well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Betts, who has been doing defensive drills and some light running. “I see him throwing, stretching out a little bit. I’m not sure when he’s gonna start swinging the bat. But from talking to him, he doesn’t feel any symptoms. It’s not symptomatic. So that’s a good point.”

Part of the Dodgers’ caution with Betts is related to how he suffered the injury. Betts maintains it happened while he was running the bases, scoring from first base on a double.

“He’s run and I’ve seen that looks good,” Roberts said. “I think the oblique is something where, it’s good until it’s not. So you want to make sure that you’re really mindful of the process to get back the build-up.”

Roberts emphasized that Betts isn’t going to rush back this early in the season.

“There’s been some other injuries that he’s dealt with that lingered. So I think that’s part of just getting more mature, and making sure,” Roberts said. “He’s not of much benefit if he’s not the Mookie Betts that we know. So that’s why (we’re) encouraging him to take his time.”

REHAB BEGINS

Right-hander Brock Stewart began a minor-league rehabilitation assignment on Tuesday night with Class-A Ontario. Stewart had shoulder surgery last September.

This is expected to be an extended rehab assignment for Stewart, who spent spring training in the early stages of a throwing program.

“You’re sort of looking at spring training and how many outings a reliever takes,” Roberts said. “I would say the three weeks is probably what it’s going to take.”

MINOR MOVE

The Dodgers acquired right-hander Griff McGarry from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for $500,000 in international bonus pool money on Tuesday. The Dodgers received that amount in the trade that sent Anthony Banda to the Minnesota Twins before this season.

McGarry, 26, was once a top-rated prospect in the Phillies’ system – largely because he has averaged 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings in six minor-league seasons. After posting a 4.20 ERA over three levels in 2025, he was exposed and taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Washington Nationals last winter. The Nationals returned McGarry to the Phillies at the end of spring training rather than carry him on their major-league roster, and he had a 9.00 ERA in four appearances at Triple-A Lehigh Valley

McGarry was not on the Phillies’ 40-man, roster so he doesn’t have to be added by the Dodgers (who currently have 39 players on the 40-man roster after losing right-hander Grant Holman on a waiver claim to the Detroit Tigers last week).

McGarry has primarily been a starting pitcher during his minor-league career but has pitched out of the bullpen the past three seasons.

ALSO

Right-hander Michael Grove signed with the Tampa Bay Rays and was placed on the injured list. Grove was non-tendered by the Dodgers last fall and is recovering from shoulder surgery.

UP NEXT

Mets (RHP Clay Holmes, 2-1, 1.50 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 1-0, 0.00 ERA), Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., ESPN, 570 AM

Orange County Register

News Details

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts making progress but not ready to return yet

REHAB BEGINS

MINOR MOVE

ALSO

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