Mookie Betts rejoins Dodgers after five weeks on IL

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts was activated off the injured checklist Monday, ending a five-week absence predicated by an indirect pressure.

The Los Angeles Dodgers slotted Betts into his customary No. 2 spot, sandwiched between Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freemanwith the hope he may assist jump-start a sluggish offense. Betts is staying practical.

“I’m not the hero,” he mentioned previous to the beginning of a four-game collection in opposition to the division-rival San Francisco Giants. “It’s going to take us all.”

Betts managed successful in five at bats Monday night time, and the Dodgers had been quiet once more, falling 9-3.

The Dodgers now sit at 24-17, a half-game behind first-place San Diego Padres within the National League West. They are 4-6 when scoring three runs or much less in seven of 10 video games in May. Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez and, most notably, Ohtani have all struggled this month.

Betts, 33, started the season simply 5-for-28, then got here again after enjoying in simply two rehab video games. The Dodgers aren’t fairly positive what to anticipate.

“I think with Mookie, you just don’t know,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned earlier than Monday’s recreation. “So, the hope is that he can kind of hit the ground running.”

Betts’ activation prompted the Dodgers to ship down infield prospect Alex Freelandwho slashed simply .235/.309/.337. Roberts known as the transfer “a tough one” however famous that Hyeseong Kim outplayed him, slashing .289/.353/.395. As a left-handed hitter, Kim can platoon with the right-handed-hitting Miguel Rojas at second base. Veteran Santiago Espinalwho’s out of choices, will proceed to function a backup, permitting Freeland to get extra growth time in Triple-A.

Betts will ease into common enjoying time, getting a time without work on Wednesday after which maybe one other on Saturday, however the expectation is that he’ll play shortstop on an on a regular basis foundation thereafter.

The Dodgers initially hoped Betts could be again a few weeks sooner. Betts mentioned the delay was not brought on by a setback.

“I just didn’t really realize how long it takes for it to really heal,” he added. “I felt pretty good pretty fast, actually, but just some of the movements that I couldn’t do, they kind of just lasted for a long time. I was trying to hurry, but obviously doctors are like, ‘It just takes this long for it to heal.'”