Dodgers updates on Miguel Rojas, Mookie Betts, Blake Snell

Three days removed from the sudden death of his father, Miguel Rojas was business as usual at Dodger Stadium on Friday.

The veteran infielder could’ve stepped away from the team, of course. He could have gone on the bereavement list this weekend amid his family’s loss.

However, Rojas said he was going to stay with the team for its series against the Rangers and expressed more gratitude for all the support he has received from the club and his teammates over the last several days.

“There’s a lot going on [with his family] in Venezuela, and his family is kind of dispersed all over the world,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He just feels they’ve got a handle on it down there, so he’s gonna stay with us.”

Rojas missed the Dodgers’ Tuesday game in Toronto after learning only 45 minutes before first pitch that his father, Miguel Rojas Sr., had suffered a heart attack.

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The funeral was the next day in Rojas’ native Venezuela. However, with the Dodgers already on the road in another country, Rojas said it was too short notice for him to make it home in time. So, he instead started in that afternoon’s game, writing his dad’s nickname, “Mickey,” on his hat.

Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani had “MR” written on his cap during the game, too.

“I’m sure it’s been a tough day for Miggy,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton after the game. “He showed up today, made some really good plays. We just want to make sure that he’s well-supported.”

Mookie Betts, Blake Snell making progress

Less than a week after suffering an oblique strain, Mookie Betts is already “symptom-free,” Roberts said.

“He feels good,” the manager added. “He’s not feeling anything.”

That’s good news for the Dodgers, who have replaced Betts at shortstop over the last week with a combination of Rojas and Hyeseong Kim. Roberts said Betts is unlikely to return when his 10-day injured list stint is up next Wednesday but sounded optimistic the former MVP would return soon after.

Another injured star making progress this week: Blake Snell, the two-time Cy Young Award winner who has been sidelined by shoulder fatigue to start the year.

Snell said he is scheduled to face hitters for the first time this year on Saturday, a key step in his recovery that should keep him on pace to return sometime in May.

The Dodgers are also hoping to get right-handed reliever Brock Stewart back before even then. Stewart has been facing batters in Arizona the last few weeks and is expected to go on a rehab assignment soon.

Slower progress

On the other end of the injury spectrum, Tommy Edman still isn’t on the verge of returning from his offseason ankle surgery, as he hasn’t yet begun running at 100%.

“He’s a ways from running full speed,” Roberts said. “And then also, I think that when you’re coming back from surgery, the next part is the recovery. So being able to run full speed, when he gets to that point, [he also needs] the next couple days after to feel no symptoms. That’s the thing that we haven’t really got to yet.”

Roberts said Edman is further behind schedule than Kike Hernandez, who won’t be eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until mid-May after undergoing offseason elbow surgery.

Two other players who remain on a slow recovery timeline: pitchers Gavin Stone and Brusdar Graterol.

Stone was shut down after one start this spring when his surgically repaired shoulder flared up on him. Graterol, meanwhile, was put on the IL to begin the season when his own surgically repaired shoulder gave him velocity issues earlier in camp.

Roberts said Graterol’s velocity has ticked up in recent bullpens but didn’t say how close he was to facing batters. With Stone, he said “it’s slow,” unsure of exactly where he is at in his rehab process.