LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts is back in the Dodgers’ lineup playing shortstop – not hero.
“No. Because I know I’m not the hero. It’s going to take us all,” Betts said before Monday’s game when asked if he could spark an offense that has been one of the least productive in MLB over the past three weeks.
“We’re going to go through our ups and downs. It’s important for everyone to know it’s going to take all of us and not just one guy getting through their struggles or whatever it is.”
Betts was activated from the injured list before Monday’s game after missing 32 games with a strained oblique. It was a longer absence than Betts himself originally forecast.
“I just didn’t really realize how long it takes for it to really heal,” he said. “I felt pretty good pretty fast actually. But just some of the movements I couldn’t do kind of lingered for a long time. I was trying to hurry but obviously the doctors were saying it just takes a month for it to heal. Do all your prep to get back to playing but you can’t really rush time.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did say Betts’ return could be “a shot in the arm” for the Dodgers, who lost 12 of their 21 games before Monday. But Betts didn’t want to predict that.
“I don’t know if there’s going to be a jolt of energy or not,” he said. “I just know I’m here, I want to play, I want to win. Hopefully that gets the guys going as far as taking care of the game and winning ballgames. But we’ll see. Only time will tell with that.”
Aiming for a bounce-back year after the worst offensive season of his career in 2025, Betts said during spring training that he was focused on a “rewired” spring and approach. In the eight games he played before getting hurt, the results hadn’t shown yet. He was 5 for 28 (.179) but with two home runs and a double.
“I think it’s in a pretty good spot,” he said of his swing after going 2 for 5 in two rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City. “I kind of don’t really care that much. I just want to go out and help the team win. Do whatever it takes. Right now, I’m trying to stay off personal stuff and help the boys win.
“Things feel pretty close to the same (as spring training). I was able to remember all the feels and drills that I did. But the more I focus on my swing, the worse it got. I think I’ve just got to hit, take care of myself but really just play the game. Just play the game. Whatever the game gives you is what it gives you. Try not to focus on how my swing feels.”
KIM STAYS
During spring training, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland competed for a spot on the season-opening roster. Freeland won and Kim opened the season in Triple-A.
With Betts’ return, Freeland and Kim were fighting for a spot again. This time, Kim won and Freeland was sent to Triple-A on Monday.
“It was hard. It was a tough one,” Roberts said of the decision. “What it came down to is Hyeseong has performed better.”
Kim has batted .289 since being promoted when Betts went on the IL. He played shortstop in Betts’ absence but will now share playing time at second base with Miguel Rojas. Freeland hit .235 while being the primary second baseman.
DROP DOWN
Betts returned to the starting lineup on Monday in a new spot – batting second. He started the season in the third spot with Kyle Tucker second.
Tucker has been dropped to fourth or fifth for the past two weeks and Roberts dropped another underperforming veteran Monday. Teoscar Hernandez was moved all the way down to eighth after going 10 for 52 (.192) with 18 strikeouts and no extra-base hits in his previous 15 games.
“I just feel there’s been enough of a sample for all the guys. I think earning your place in the order matters too,” Roberts said. “I think that Andy (Pages) has earned it. I think Max (Muncy) has earned it. … It’s not a knock on anyone. It’s just the way it should be. I do know that when I can pencil Teo in in the five or six hole and we can all feel good about it, we’re better for it.”
Muncy (.918) and Pages (.946) were the only Dodgers regulars with OPS over .800 going into Monday’s game. They were sixth and seventh in the order on Monday.
UP NEXT
Giants (RHP Adrian Houser, 0-4, 6.19 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 3-2, 3.09 ERA), Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM