Betts exits finale vs. Royals after painful HBP to hand

Facing right-hander Dan Altavilla in the bottom of the seventh, Betts took a 97.9 mph four-seamer off his left hand and immediately fell to the ground, visibly in pain. As manager Dave Roberts and a trainer looked him over, Betts stayed down for some time before he was able to get up and walk off the field. He was replaced by pinch-runner Miguel Rojas, who ultimately took over at shortstop for the remaining two innings of the game.

The specifics of Betts’ injury were not immediately available.

L.A.’s leadoff hitter and one of its most consistent contributors, Betts was batting .304 with an .893 OPS this season. He is tied for third on the team with 10 homers. A six-time Gold Glover in right field, he has filled in adeptly in his first full season at shortstop.

It was already a tough day for the Dodgers on the injury front, as prior to the game, they placed right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto (right triceps tightness) and Michael Grove (right intercostal strain) on the injured list.