The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off the 2025 MLB season in Japan, where the team dominated the Chicago Cubs in the two-game Tokyo Series. But the Dodgers were forced to start their season without Mookie Betts. The star shortstop was scratched from the series due to a mysterious illness.

Nearly a week later Betts is still dealing with symptoms of the stomach ailment that’s caused him to lose 25 pounds. But it appears Betts has finally turned a corner.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Betts had a full workout on Monday and was finally able to keep some solid food down, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Jack Harris on X. The eight-time All-Star is scheduled to return to the Dodgers’ lineup on Tuesday for the final spring training game before the regular season and if all goes well, he should play in the team’s home opener on Thursday.

It’s been a difficult stretch for Betts, physically and emotionally. Frustratingly, no one seems to know what caused the stomach illness that’s kept him sidelined for the last week.

“I’m not exactly sure what it is. I don’t think anybody really knows… You go weigh yourself and you weigh 150 lbs. and before I left spring [training] I was 175. My stomach is, I guess, really aggravated. So it’s hard to just not eat, especially because you can’t come to work and just not eat,” Betts explained, per Vanessa Etienne of People.

The Dodgers will welcome Mookie Betts back to the lineup

The extreme weight loss is shocking. And Betts is still having trouble keeping food down. The ordeal has left the former MVP “scared to eat” even though he realizes that he can’t get back to playing baseball if he isn’t consuming calories. So his ability to keep some solid food down is a huge step in the road to recovery.

The Dodgers resumed their spring training schedule after playing two regular season games against the Cubs in Tokyo. While Betts missed the first two games of a three-game Cactus League series against the Los Angeles Angels, he’ll take the field in the final spring training game Tuesday.

Betts categorized his battle with the stomach illness as more frustrating than rehabbing from the broken left hand that cost him 45 games last season.

After spending the majority of his career in right field, Betts briefly made the switch to shortstop in 2024 before heading back to right when he returned from injury. This season the Dodgers are making the position change permanent and so far the transition to shortstop has earned Betts praise this spring. Now he’ll return to the field and work on building back his strength. And hopefully he can avoid whatever caused his mystery stomach malfunction.