LOS ANGELES -- Mookie Betts was activated off the injured list Monday, ending a five-week absence predicated by an oblique strain.
The Los Angeles Dodgers slotted Betts into his customary No. 2 spot, sandwiched between Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, with the hope he could help jump-start a sluggish offense. Betts is staying realistic.
"I'm not the hero," he said prior to the start of a four-game series against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. "It's going to take us all."
The Dodgers sit at 24-16, tied with the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League West, and are 4-5 when scoring three runs or less in six of nine games in May. Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez and, most notably, Ohtani have all struggled this month.
Betts, 33, began the season just 5-for-28, then came back after playing in just two rehab games. The Dodgers aren't quite sure what to expect.
"I think with Mookie, you just don't know," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "So, the hope is that he can kind of hit the ground running."
Betts' activation prompted the Dodgers to send down infield prospect Alex Freeland, who slashed just .235/.309/.337. Roberts called the move "a tough one" but noted that Hyeseong Kim outplayed him, slashing .289/.353/.395. As a left-handed hitter, Kim can platoon with the right-handed-hitting Miguel Rojas at second base. Veteran Santiago Espinal, who is out of options, will continue to serve as a backup, allowing Freeland to get more development time in Triple-A.
Betts will ease into regular playing time, getting a day off on Wednesday and then perhaps another on Saturday, but the expectation is that he will play shortstop on an everyday basis thereafter.
The Dodgers initially hoped Betts would be back a couple of weeks sooner. Betts said the delay was not caused by a setback.
"I just didn't really realize how long it takes for it to really heal," he added. "I felt pretty good pretty fast, actually, but just some of the movements that I couldn't do, they kind of just lingered for a long time. I was trying to hurry, but obviously doctors are like, 'It just takes this long for it to heal.'"