Betts (toe fracture) expected back today vs. Mets

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts took an important step -- literally -- ahead of Sunday's series finale against the Yankees: He was able to wear closed-toed shoes for the first time since fracturing the tip of one of his left toes earlier that week.

It's one of those everyday things that gets taken for granted, but it was an encouraging sign for Betts, who stubbed the fourth toe on his left foot while walking to the bathroom in the dark at his home on Wednesday night.

"Whatever you picture, getting out of bed, that's exactly what happened. We all have done it," Betts said Sunday. "I just so happened to fracture a toe. I'm sure we all have some fractured toes from stuff like this."

Although Betts had to sit out the entire weekend series against the Yankees and didn't make it into Monday's opener against the Mets, manager Dave Roberts said Betts would be back in the Dodgers' lineup on Tuesday.

For Betts, the short term will be more about pain tolerance.

"Once we get the swelling out, get the pain to subside a little bit, it’s going to be the whole, ‘It is what it is,’ for quite some time," Roberts said Saturday. "So probably don’t think that four days vs. 14 days or 15 days [on the IL] is going to make much of a difference.”

L.A. has already dealt with a spate of injuries -- mostly to the pitching staff -- this season. The team also announced on Friday that righty reliever Evan Phillips will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. So Betts' absence from Friday's lineup set off some alarm bells.

But Betts' injury appears to be more short-term and fluky, similar to when Freddie Freeman aggravated his surgically repaired right ankle by slipping in the shower in early April. (Freeman ended up going on the 10-day IL for a minimum-length stint.)

"It just keeps coming. It's Murphy's law," Roberts said Friday. "But yeah, this is a weird one."

Betts, who is hitting .254 with a .742 OPS in 53 games this season, had initially been expected to play on Friday, but he felt some pain when putting on his shoes. Miguel Rojas and Hyeseong Kim have filled in at shortstop while Betts is sidelined.

"We'll figure it out," general manager Brandon Gomes said. "We'll handle it on the front end and make sure he's fine whenever he gets in there. It's a good part about having depth. Keep the train moving."

Since Sunday was the first time he was really able to move around and test his toe, Betts was not sure whether it would have more of an impact on him at the plate or in the field. His priority is ensuring that he's ready to pull his weight at shortstop when he returns.

"I just want to make sure I move to make plays for those guys," Betts said. "Hitting, hopefully that comes along. I just want to make sure I can play defense."