With hip issue resolved, Dodgers’ Mookie Betts is ‘ready to go’ this spring

After Mookie Betts flew out of the gates to begin his Dodgers career, helping the team to a World Series title in 2020 while finishing second in MVP voting, last year was a series of stop and starts for the star outfielder.

After beginning the season slowly at the plate, Betts began dealing with a bone spur in his right hip. He missed 11 games in July, 16 more in August and occasionally played at second base later in the season to help manage the nagging discomfort.

“It was pretty frustrating,” Betts said. “But it is what it is. That’s part of it. Gotta deal with it.”

Betts hopes the issue is now behind him.

On Tuesday, the 29-year-old sounded upbeat about his health, saying that he hasn’t had any discomfort with the hip since the end of last season and reported to spring over the weekend “ready to go.”

“Things have been smooth,” Betts added, noting that he didn’t need any MRIs or other examinations on the hip before the start of camp. “It’s been pretty normal. So no need.”

The Dodgers will be hoping it translates to a bounce-back season for Betts, who was still one of their best hitters last year but fell short of his normal elite-level production.

In 122 games, he batted .264 (matching a career low), had 23 home runs and 58 RBIs (the second-lowest and lowest totals he’s had in a full season, respectively) and didn’t receive any MVP votes (the first time that has happened since he debuted in 2014).

He was still an All-Star, for the fifth time, and batted .319 in the postseason. But the hip was clearly a limitation — making the fact it’s gone now not only a physical relief, but a mental one too.

“The No. 1 thing is to be on the field to help the team,” Betts said. “If you’re not healthy and on the field to help, then there’s kind of no point to your being here. I’m just happy to be able to play.”

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts runs to a practice field during a spring training workout Sunday in Phoenix.

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

So far in camp, manager Dave Roberts has seen only positive signs from Betts, who is entering the second season of the 12-year, $365-million contract extension he signed with the Dodgers after being traded from the Boston Red Sox in 2020.

While Roberts cautioned it might be “kind of a slow ramp-up” with Betts this spring, the outfielder has been a full participant over the first two days, taking a batting practice at-bat against Clayton Kershaw on Monday before drawing a walk and playing right field during a simulated game on Tuesday afternoon.

“He looks normal,” Roberts said. “I haven’t seen him certainly push himself yet. But I’m just kind of going by the training staff and his word where he just feels normal. As we kind of get more into baseball activity, I think we’ll know more. But right now, compared to where he was at times last year, where he just was injured and didn’t feel well … he’s far from that right now.”

Roberts later added, in what has been one of the team’s most encouraging developments to start the spring: “I think that you’ll see Mookie allowing himself his body, allowing himself to be the player that we’ve known for many years.”

Short hops

Jimmy Nelson is back in Dodgers camp, with the right-handed pitcher in the process of finalizing a one-year major league deal that is expected to include a club option for 2023, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Nelson underwent Tommy John surgery last August. … According to a report by the Athletic, Major League Baseball will require managers and coaches to be “up to date” with COVID-19 vaccines. Roberts said he didn’t anticipate that being an issue for the Dodgers staff. … Roberts said one player has yet to report to camp, but declined to say who. Reliever Blake Treinen was also absent Tuesday because of a family situation, but is expected back on Wednesday.