The Los Angeles Dodgers lost their series opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night, falling 9-4 after allowing a five-run seventh inning.
Ahead of Game 2 on Saturday night, which will feature Payton Tolle on the mound for Boston against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made several lineup changes.
Dodgers Announce Mookie Betts Change
Despite recording a hit in each of his last four games, Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts will get the night off from the starting lineup Saturday, with Miguel Rojas taking over at shortstop.
Betts will likely remain available off the bench as a pinch-hitting option if needed, while outfielder Kyle Tucker will also sit out of the starting nine.
Here’s the full lineup:
Dodgers 8/1
S. Ohtani DH
A. Pages CF
T. Edman 2B
F. Freeman 1B
E. Hernández LF
T. Hernández RF
M. Muncy 3B
M. Rojas SS
D. Rushing CY. Yamamoto SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 1, 2026
Betts’ 2026 Season
Betts is in his 13th MLB season and has appeared in 73 games this year, putting together a slightly down season at the plate.
He is batting .233, which is currently the lowest mark of his career, and has recorded 42 runs, 67 hits, 13 home runs, and 36 RBIs while slugging .406 with a .697 OPS.
Dodgers Right Now
The Dodgers enter Saturday night’s game at 69-41, holding the best record in baseball by half a game over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Los Angeles doesn’t have many obvious needs outside of getting several injured players back and healthy, but the team has been heavily linked to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
Whether they land him or not, the Dodgers would earn a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason if the season ended today as they pursue a third consecutive World Series title.
Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Mookie Betts Change During Red Sox Series