Mookie Betts hits home run, plays right field in return to Dodgers' lineup

Ian Casselberry

Mookie Betts quickly made his presence felt in his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup on Monday following a two-month absence due to a fractured left hand.

In his second plate appearance, Betts hit a two-run home run off Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta, launching an inside fastball over the left-field wall. It was his 11th homer of the season.

In doing so, Betts got a bit of revenge on Peralta, who made him look bad in his first at-bat. The 11-year veteran swung and missed at a slider, getting twisted up and stumbling to the left side of the batter's box.

Betts finished the night 2-for-4 at the plate with the home run, three RBI, one run scored and one strikeout. The Dodgers won, 5-2.

Betts, an eight-time All-Star, also started at a new but familiar position when he took the field in Milwaukee. On Monday, he moved from shortstop back to right field, where he has played most of his career — including during his 2018 MVP season with the Boston Red Sox. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the decision before Friday's matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Miguel Rojas stayed at shortstop, where he has played since Betts went on the injured list, with Nick Ahmed backing him up.

Betts was the Dodgers' starting shortstop until his injury, having moved to the position during spring training amid Gavin Lux's throwing difficulties. He played 65 games (starting 61) there this season. The plan was to keep Betts at shortstop when he returned, but he says it was better for the team for him to move back to right field.

"I think it was kind of a mutual thing, but I would say I mostly went to them," Betts said, via the Los Angeles Times' Mike Digiovanna. "I said, ‘Listen, I believe I can do it, but I want to win, man. I want to win. And I don’t know if me [at shortstop] is the best solution.'"

Jason Heyward has played right field for the majority of the season. The veteran is playing strong defense at the position, according to advanced metrics, but he's also batting .204 with a .665 OPS.

Betts is a clear upgrade offensively, batting to his MVP standard of a .305 average and .903 OPS with 16 doubles, 11 home runs and nine stolen bases. And he has always been excellent in right field, credited with 132 Defensive Runs Saved during his career and having earned six Gold Gloves for his play.

"This is kind of essentially reading the room, me and him talking," Roberts told reporters. "And that's part of my job, to kind of get a feel for where he's at, and where the ballclub is at. And this is something that both of us feel, the organization, too, is the best thing for the Dodgers in 2024."

Additionally, Betts is giving up the leadoff spot in the batting order upon his return, ceding to Shohei Ohtani, who has compiled a slash line of .274/.383/.637 with 16 homers and 17 stolen bases at the top of the lineup.

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