Mookie Betts Is Back After Five Weeks and the Dodgers Just Made Their First Tough Call

The Dodgers got their guy back Monday, and it already cost them somebody. Mookie Betts is activated off the injured list and ready to start at shortstop in the series opener against the Giants, his first game since landing on the shelf April 5 with an oblique strain. Five weeks is a long time to miss, and getting him back brings what manager Dave Roberts called "good problems" for Los Angeles. Except there's a catch: somebody had to go, and that somebody was infielder Alex Freeland.

The Rehab Assignment Looked Sharp Enough

Betts spent the last two games with Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment Friday and Saturday, going 2-for-5. It's not a home run pace, but it's enough to get him back in the lineup. That said, his early season numbers were rough before he got hurt. In eight games with the Dodgers earlier this season, he was batting .179 with two home runs and seven RBIs. That's not the Betts everybody knows. Roberts, though, is banking on the usual lift that comes when Betts slots near the top of the order.

The Roster Shuffle Gets Real

Here's where it gets messy. The Dodgers had built a three-man platoon at shortstop while Betts was gone. Hyeseong Kim saw the bulk of the time and he's been solid, batting .289 in 86 plate appearances. Alex Freeland, a switch-hitter who was on the Opening Day roster, had been hitting better lately to push his average to .235. When Betts came back, somebody had to take the fall. The Dodgers optioned Freeland to Oklahoma City.

But here's the thing: Roberts isn't throwing Betts into an everyday role right away. He'll share time at shortstop and work his way back up. Kim stays around and could slide to second base in a platoon with Miguel Rojas, who keeps his roster spot.

Roberts was straight about the thinking Sunday: "Who's going to get the lion's share of playing time, how much is Mookie going to play, the value of somebody going to the minors and playing more vs. having some optionality with the roster. Opponent, off-days potentially and how much depth you need. So there's a lot of different ways you can go about it. We're kind of in the process of having those conversations now."

More Help Coming Down the Pipe

The injury troubles aren't completely over for Los Angeles. Infielder and outfielder Enrique Hernandez is also working his way back from an elbow issue. He's on a minor league rehab assignment and on the 60-day injured list, but he's eligible to return May 24. So the Dodgers will have more reinforcements rolling in soon.

For now, though, it's about getting Betts integrated back into the lineup and trusting that he'll shake off the rust and become the player he's supposed to be. The Giants are coming to town, and Los Angeles is ready to find out if five weeks away is enough to knock down what should have been a star.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.