Back from injured list, Mookie Betts homers in Dodgers’ win

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The Dodgers welcomed star Mookie Betts back to the lineup on Monday night, and he homered in Los Angeles’ 5-2 win over the host Milwaukee Brewers.

Betts went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a stolen base after missing about two months with a fractured left hand.

The former American League MVP was activated from the injured list before the game.

Los Angeles designated infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario for assignment in a corresponding move.

Betts started the season batting leadoff and playing shortstop and second base, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went with his new plan on Monday: Betts took over in right field and batted second in the lineup behind Shohei Ohtani.

Betts, 31, was hit by a fastball on his left hand June 16 against the Kansas City Royals and was placed on the injured list the next day.

He was batting .304 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs over his first 72 games this season before getting hurt. Betts was named to his eighth career All-Star Game a few weeks after sustaining the injury.

Betts is a lifetime .295 hitter with 263 home runs, 363 doubles, 799 RBIs and 182 stolen bases in 1,338 games. He won AL MVP honors in 2018 while with the Boston Red Sox and finished second in National League MVP voting last year.

Rosario, 28, had just begun his second stint with the Dodgers after the Tampa Bay Rays traded him to Los Angeles before the trade deadline.

Rosario — who played in 48 games for the Dodgers last year — got into five games for them this month and went 3-for-11 (.273) with a double and two RBIs.

The veteran of the New York Mets (2017-20), Cleveland (2021-23), Dodgers and Tampa Bay is a career .275 hitter with 62 homers, 157 doubles and 362 RBIs in 920 games.

–Field Level Media