Mookie Betts is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup.
The shortstop was officially activated from the injured list before Monday’s matchup with the San Francisco Giants. He is in the starting lineup batting second.
Betts has been sidelined April 5 with a strained right oblique. During a game against the Washington Nationals, Betts said he felt pain in his right lower back while running the bases. He did not take the field in the bottom of the first inning and an MRI exam taken after the game revealed the oblique strain.
Prior to the official roster move, the Dodgers cleared a spot for Betts by sending infielder Alex Freeland to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Freeland, 23, began the season as the starting second baseman but batted .235/.309/.337 in 112 plate appearances. However, he’s played excellent defense. Advanced metrics credit him with 4 Defensive Runs Saved and 3 Outs Above Average.
The Dodgers reportedly chose to demote Freeland so he could maintain regular playing time in the minors.
Other options included Hyeseong Kim, but he’s been hitting well since filling in for Betts at shortstop. His slash average is .289/.353/.395, demonstrating improvement that the Dodgers wanted to see. Santiago Espinal was also a possibility, but the team likes that he can reliably fill a utility role without requiring regular playing time.
Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29 ERA) will start on the mound for the Giants, taking the turn for Logan Webb, who went on the IL with right knee bursitiis on Saturday. Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97) gets the start for the Dodgers.
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