Mookie Betts Leaves Dodgers Spring Training in Arizona After Family News, Return Expected

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop mookie betts has temporarily stepped away from spring training after personal family news, with manager Dave Roberts saying Betts left camp to be with his wife as they await the birth of their third child. Roberts indicated Betts is expected to rejoin the team on Saturday and play in a game.

Mookie Betts Steps Away From Camp as Family Awaits Third Child

Roberts said Betts departed the Dodgers’ spring training site in Arizona to join his wife, Brianna Betts, in Los Angeles. The absence is tied to the expected birth of the couple’s third child.

Betts had shared earlier in the offseason that his wife was expecting, a factor that also led him to decline participation in this year’s World Baseball Classic even as many Dodgers teammates took part.

The couple’s growing family includes a daughter, Kynlee Ivory Betts, born in November 2018, and a son, Kaj Lynn Betts, born in April 2023.

Early Spring Results and a Focus on a Bounce-Back Year

Before leaving camp, Betts appeared in five spring games. In 14 plate appearances, he collected five hits, including a double, and drove in one run, producing a. 357 batting average with a. 357 on-base percentage and a. 429 slugging percentage. Over that same stretch, he posted a. 786 OPS.

The spring training ramp-up has been closely watched because Betts is coming off a season in which his offensive production dipped. Last year, he hit. 258 with a. 326 on-base percentage and a. 732 OPS, along with 20 home runs and 82 RBIs across 150 games. The season began with an illness that caused significant weight loss, something he did not fully recover from, which may have contributed to the decline.

Even with the drop at the plate, Betts enjoyed what was described as his best defensive season at shortstop, earning his first Gold Glove nomination at the position.

Training Changes, Long-Term Outlook, and What Comes Next

Betts has also adjusted his preparation this season in an effort to stay healthy and improve his performance, adopting a training approach that incorporates javelin throws used by teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Yamamoto’s trainer, Osamu Yada.

The personal leave comes as the Dodgers look ahead to 2026 with expectations of competing for another championship. Betts, a former MVP and eight-time All-Star, remains a central figure in that pursuit and has seven seasons remaining on his 12-year, $365 million contract with the team.

For now, the team’s immediate focus is the short-term timetable: Roberts said Betts is expected back with the club on Saturday, with plans to play that day.