The eagerly-anticipated Tokyo Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will take place without a major star. Mookie Betts has been ruled out for the March 18-19 regular season games due to an illness. It is unclear what the three-time World Series champion is experiencing exactly, but his body has apparently undergone a dramatic transformation. When speaking to reporters in Japan on Monday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that Betts has lost almost 15 pounds while enduring the roughly weeklong illness, via ESPN. The 2018 American League MVP joined the ballclub on the trip to the Land of the Rising Sun and is reportedly on the mend, but LA is not taking any chances given his recent condition. “When you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens a person up to soft tissue injuries,” Roberts said. “We’re very mindful of that.” The Dodgers are wisely prioritizing Betts’ long-term health as they begin their MLB title defense. Although they boast a ridiculous amount of talent, replacing one of the most well-rounded players of this generation is a luxury that not even this juggernaut possesses. Mookie Betts is the Dodgers’ do-it-all position player The seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner and six-time Gold Glover batted .289 with 19 home runs, 75 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 116 games last season. A fractured left hand cost him the chance to become the second player to win MVP in both leagues, an honor that was instead secured by teammate Shohei Ohtani. Betts made up for the lost time by thriving in the playoffs, however. He posted a .290 batting average, .565 slugging percentage and .951 OPS in 16 games, effectively ending his reputation as an October underachiever. When the 32-year-old makes his 2025 MLB regular season debut, which will presumably be on March 27 versus the Detroit Tigers, he is expected to slot in at shortstop. Betts played 65 games at the position in 2024 and is highly motivated to display capable defense in the middle infield this year. And, oh yeah, he is still entrusted with being a lethal force near the top of the batting order. Considering all the Dodgers ask of the future Hall of Famer, it is crucial for him to be in peak condition. He will continue to work on getting re-hydrated and regaining all the wight he has lost. A feeble Mookie Betts would make a seemingly bullet-proof LA squad look more vulnerable than people might even realize.