Spring Training is underway for the Los Angeles Dodgers but All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts has yet to appear in a Cactus League game.
Betts is coming off an injury-riddled season where he had lower back trouble and a bone spur in his right hip that required cortisone injections and multiple stints on the 10-day injured list. However, the 29-year-old recently said he is fully recovered from the injuries.
Betts was expected to make his Cactus League debut on Wednesday, but that was delayed due to a stomach illness.
Now, Betts is expected to be in the Dodgers lineup for the first time in 2022 on Thursday when the team faces the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields, per via Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
#Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he expects Mookie Betts to be in the lineup tomorrow
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) March 23, 2022
While Betts has yet to appear in a game, he has been working out with the team and participating in baseball activities. Last week, Betts and Clayton Kershaw faced off when the southpaw threw an inning of live batting practice.
Betts was limited to 122 games last season while playing through pain and hit .264/.367/.487 with 23 home runs, a 131 wRC+ and 3.9 WAR, which is still a quality campaign but a step below his usual production.
Walker Buehler using past experience to prepare
Dodgers ace Walker Buehler has historically had a slow ramp-up period during Spring Training, but now he is relying on learning experiences from the past to help him stay on track for Opening Day of the 2022 season.
Buehler previously found an offseason routine that included throwing more often helped him not only prepare for the season but be in better position come the start of Spring Training.
This past offseason, Buehler worked out at Push Performance, a baseball training and development facility in Arizona, during the MLB lockout while players were not allowed to use team facilities.
As players were rushed back into action once the lockout ended, Buehler said he has also taken knowledge from his experience during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-shortened season to prepare for 2022.
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