The Los Angeles Dodgers will welcome star Mookie Betts back to the lineup Monday night after he missed about two months with a fractured left hand.
The former American League MVP was activated from the injured list on Monday and will play in the Dodgers’ series opener at the Milwaukee Brewers.
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 said that when Betts returns, he will take over right field and bat 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. He was named to his eighth career All-Star Game a few weeks after the injury.
Betts is a lifetime .295 hitter with 262 home runs, 363 doubles, 796 RBIs and 181 stolen bases in 1,337 games. He won AL MVP honors in 2018 while with the Boston Red Sox and finished second in NL 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