Mookie Betts Returns to Dodgers Lineup vs. Giants

Mookie Betts is expected to rejoin the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday for the start of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. The 33-year-old will return after completing a two-game minor-league rehabilitation assignment with the team's Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City, where he collected two hits in five at-bats.

Manager Dave Roberts said Betts will probably bat in the No. 2 or 3 spot in the lineup. Roberts described the return as "a shot in the arm" that lengthens the batting order and could infuse energy into the club, while noting it raises the floor for the team's recently dormant offense.

The Dodgers have gone 9-12 over their last 21 games and scored only seven runs across their most recent three-game series. Roberts attributed some of the offensive woes to empty at-bats, early outs and a failure to pass the baton between hitters, though he said Betts' absence was only part of the problem.

Several established Dodgers hitters have struggled in recent weeks. 267. The team's only consistent performer of late was on the wrong end of a spectacular defensive play that robbed him of a bases-loaded extra-base hit during Sunday's loss. Players have been working to fix swing mechanics, creating challenges in competition.

One veteran said it is tough to compete while trying to figure things out and that the team plans to emphasize simply competing in the batter's box again. 258. The Dodgers advised him to scale back his winter training, leading him to declare in spring training that he expected to perform at an MVP level again.

He started strongly before suffering a strained oblique. Roberts said Betts' DNA is to get on base, deliver base hits and occasionally slug, making him a threat against both right- and left-handed pitching. The manager expressed hope that repositioning other hitters around Betts would allow them to settle into more comfortable spots in the order.

The San Francisco Giants entered the season with high expectations after adding veteran talent but have fallen to one of the worst records in their division. The team has already begun shuffling its roster in search of a working combination, leading to the departure of a familiar face.

371 slash line, cleared waivers and elected free agency. The move came after he was designated for assignment to make room for two other players called up from the minors. Encarnacion had posted strong numbers in the Mexican League and Triple-A before earning a promotion to the majors in August 2024.

He could re-sign with the Giants or seek opportunities elsewhere as the team continues to search for answers. The Giants' president of baseball operations has added several veteran stars and hired a manager with no prior major-league experience, moves now facing scrutiny given the team's performance.

The club will open its series against the Dodgers on Monday looking to reverse a season that has spiraled out of control. >"It’s kind of a shot in the arm to have Mookie back. Just to kind of add a star player into your lineup lengthens things out.