Mookie Betts was back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup after missing five weeks due to a strained right oblique. His return came with the team mired in an offensive rut and just 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Manager Dave Roberts cautioned against expecting Betts to be a savior of sorts, and the four-time World Series champion echoed that sentiment.
“No, because I know I’m not the hero,” Betts answered when asked if he needs to guard against trying to do too much. “It’s going to take us all. It kind of is what it is, we’re going to go through our ups and our downs. But it’s important for everyone to know that it’s going to take all of us, and not just one guy getting through their struggles or whatever it is.”
Betts then proceeded to go 1-for-5 with one strikeout in the Dodgers’ 9-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants. The offense continued to be stuck in place and pitching had lapses as well.
“I don’t even know if there’s going to be a jolt of energy or not,” Betts said before the game. “I just know that I’m here. I want to play and I want to win. Hopefully, that kind of gets the guys going as far as focusing on the game and taking care of winning ballgames. But we’ll see. Only time will tell when it comes to that.”
Mookie Betts confident in swing
Betts only played in eight games before suffering his oblique strain while running the bases. He was off to a slow start, albeit in an extremely small sample size, but is still encouraged by work done to his swing during the offseason.
“I think it’s in a pretty good spot,” Betts said. “But, I mean, I kind of don’t really care that much. I just want to go out and help the team win, whatever it takes. So right now, I’m trying not to get on personal things, and just focus on helping the boys win.”
Betts added he feels “pretty close to the same” as before the injury with his swing but noted he can’t fixate on that.
“I was able to remember all the feels and the drills that I did. But I mean, the more I focus on my swing, the worse it kind of got,” the 33-year-old said. “I think I have to hit, take care of myself, but really just play the game. Just play the game, and whatever the game gives you is what it gives you.
“And just try not to focus on how my swing feels.”
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