Mookie Betts throws during batting practice Tuesday. (Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press)
Mookie Betts’ trademark smile is back. As he walked off the field on his way back to the Dodgers clubhouse, he was in good spirits after his pregame warmup, exclaiming, “I feel great. Awesome. Normal.”
For Betts, Tuesday marked a return to normalcy, with the star shortstop back in the lineup against the Angels. Betts was slated to get “three at-bats, play four or five innings of defense,” according to manager Dave Roberts.
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Coming back from his stomach ailment, Betts played into the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 4-1 victory over the Angels. He finished 0 for 3 with a couple of groundouts and a foul out to first base.
Betts emphasized that his main focus is simply “to play baseball.” He added, “I still don’t know how long, how many days it’s been — just to play baseball and try to get back into a rhythm.”
It had been nearly two weeks since Betts last took the field, and while he acknowledges there’s not much time to get back into game shape, he could be deemed ready by Roberts for Thursday’s home opener against the Detroit Tigers.
“Yeah, I played in the game,” Betts said with a chuckle. “Once I step foot on the dirt, I’m ready to go.”
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Betts has been battling a stomach illness since the Dodgers’ trip to Tokyo, where he was sent home early. He reassured everyone that his only physical issue was his stomach and the weight he lost, remaining strong as ever.
He said the medication prescribed by team doctors has been effective, and he also identified what foods to avoid — though he said “I’ll keep that in house.”
Since then he has worked to regain weight — a process Roberts said has progressed in recent days, as Betts has been able to hold down food and manage his dehydration from the weight loss.
“All signs point toward we’ve turned a corner and we feel good about where he’s at for tonight,” Roberts said before the game.
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The team considered shutting down Betts, according to Roberts, but is taking a day-to-day approach instead. After discussions with Betts, the training and coaching staff agreed that “the right thing for him to do is to take good at-bats rather than not play,” Roberts said.
His return to the lineup before the home opener is a positive sign that he’s on the mend. The team will evaluate his condition Wednesday to determine if he’ll play against the Tigers.
“I know Mookie’s expectation is…