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The Dodgers on Sunday activated Mookie Betts off the injured list, back in the lineup on Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Betts missed the last 11 games and was limited to one plate appearance over the last 13 games due to hip inflammation. It’s something that’s been bugging him all season, and though it was exacerbated while running in the outfield at Coors Field, there wasn’t one particular play that triggered the injury.
“I wish it would have come from like, I ran into the wall or something, not just from out of nowhere. That would have made more sense,” Betts said Saturday. “It is what it is, and you just have to deal with it. The training staff has done a great job in helping me to get to where I’m at now, and hopefully we can just kind of keep it at bay.”
Dodgers/D-backs lineups
| Pos | Dodgers | Pos | D-backs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Dodgers | Pos | D-backs |
| 2B | Betts | SS | Ahmed |
| CF | Taylor | CF | Marte (S) |
| 3B | Turner | 3B | Ellis |
| 1B | Pujols | 1B | Walker |
| SS | Seager (L) | RF | Reddick (L) |
| LF | Pollock | 2B | Hager |
| C | Barnes | LF | Varsho (L) |
| RF | McKinney (L) | C | Holaday |
| P | Urías (L) | P | Smith |
Betts received a cortisone shot last week, and spent the better part of the last week working out during pregame and experiencing no issues with the hip.
While he’s back in his customary leadoff spot, Betts is not in right field. He starts at second base, a position he started at once in 2020 and played three innings in a game earlier this year.
The impetus this time was to ease Betts back into the lineup, limit the running he has to do in the outfield. The Dodgers similarly started Cody Bellinger at first base twice this week after he was out of the lineup a few days with a hamstring injury.
“There’s definitely been some discussion, just trying to limit the miles,” Betts said. “We’ll see where Doc’s head’s at [Sunday].”
The turf at Chase Field factored into the decision to keep Betts out of the outfield Sunday, Roberts said. Betts will be back in right field on Tuesday.
This was the first injured list stint for Betts in over three years, last missing time with the Red Sox from June 1-11, 2018 with a left abdominal strain.
That wasn’t the only roster move the Dodgers made on Sunday.
Pitcher Yefry Ramírez was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and to make room on the 40-man roster, pitcher Jimmie Sherfy was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Ramírez, 27, had a 5.49 ERA in Triple-A, with 70 strikeouts and 31 walks in 62⅓ innings.
Ramírez is wearing uniform number 67 with the Dodgers.
Mitch White, who pitched 3⅔ innings in Saturday’s win over Arizona, was optioned, as was utility man Zach McKinstry.