The Los Angeles Dodgers hold the best record in Major League Baseball and have just tormented whoever has been on their schedule lately. LA is 24-11 in its last 35 games, and has opened up a 10+ game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West.
Speaking of the Padres, Los Angeles will open up a four-game weekend set with San Diego on Thursday evening. Roki Sasaki (3-5, 4.88 ERA, 72 SO) is getting the ball for the Dodgers in game one of the series, while the Padres will roll with Randy Vasquez. If the Padres are to have really any chance of getting back in this divisional race, they will have to take the series from the Dodgers.
Before the Padres series opens up, the Dodgers announced their lineup, which includes a Mookie Betts decision.
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Mookie Betts Back in Lineup for Padres Series Opener
On Wednesday, the Dodgers lost to the Athletics, but Mookie Betts did not play.
As they do for every MLB game, Underdog MLB released the Dodgers lineup for 7/2, and it features Mookie Betts:
Dodgers 7/2: “S. Ohtani DH A. Pages CF F. Freeman 1B M. Betts SS M. Muncy 3B K. Tucker RF T. Hernández LF D. Rushing C T. Edman 2B R. Sasaki SP”
S. Ohtani DH A. Pages CF F. Freeman 1B M. Betts SS M. Muncy 3B K. Tucker RF T. Hernández LF D. Rushing C T. Edman 2B
R. Sasaki SP
Some notables from the lineup announcement: Mookie Betts is back hitting cleanup after a day off on Wednesday. Betts has hit cleanup for LA over the last several games and has finally started to get his bat going after a slow start to the season. Everything else looks pretty normal, and it’s good to see Dalton Rushing back in the lineup as well.
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Reason Behind Mookie Betts Wednesday Scratch
GettySACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 30: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs the bases against the Athletics in the top of the first inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on June 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
CBSSports’ RotoWire staff hit the recent Mookie Betts lineup decision, and noted why he was absent from the Dodgers lineup on Wednesday:
“Betts was a late scratch from the lineup for Wednesday’s game due to wrist soreness, but it no longer seems to be bothering him ahead of Thursday’s series opener. The 33-year-old is currently enjoying a seven-game hitting streak, during which he’s gone 13-for-32 (.406) with three homers, nine RBI and five runs scored.”
Over 51 games played this season, Betts is batting .244 with 11 home runs, eight doubles, and 28 RBI. His OPS is .744, which is down from his career marks, but again, he endured a brutal slump to start the 2o26 season and also dealt with an oblique injury for about a month.
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