Mar 25, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) throws the ball before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Mookie Betts Returns to Action, Expects to Play in Dodgers’ MLB Opener

Good news for the Dodgers!

Mookie Betts’ absence from the Dodgers’ lineup is officially over. The star shortstop returned to action on Tuesday in the team’s final spring training game at Angel Stadium, shaking off a stomach illness that had sidelined him since March 9.

As Betts walked off the field after his pregame routine, his trademark grin was back. “I feel great. Awesome. Normal,” he said, signaling that his recovery was complete. The Dodgers wasted no time getting him back into action, as he played five innings at shortstop and took three at-bats, though he finished hitless on the day.

"The medicine worked." Mookie Betts talks about his recovery from a stomach illness.pic.twitter.com/wswEiezhvf
— Dodgers Tailgate (@DodgersTailgate) March 26, 2025

Betts is expected to face live pitching again on Wednesday, and all signs point to him being in the lineup for the Dodgers’ home opener. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed postgame that while Betts is still easing back into game speed, the expectation is that he’ll be ready for Opening Day.

One lingering concern had been his weight loss during the illness. Reports suggested Betts had dropped to 157 pounds from 175, but Roberts provided an encouraging update, noting that Betts had already started regaining weight and his strength levels had tested normally.

“My body’s been fine. It was literally just my stomach,” Betts reassured reporters. “I’ve been able to work out, do everything like normal. The hard part was just keeping food down.”

ALSO READ: Shohei Ohtani to Resume Pitching After His Month-Long Break From Rehab

With the illness behind him, Betts feels confident that he’ll be ready when the Dodgers take the field for the season opener.

“I played in the game. Once I stepped foot on the dirt, I’m ready to go.”

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Mookie Betts

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.