Red Sox activate Mookie Betts from 10-day disabled list

The Boston Red Sox have activated outfielder Mookie Betts from the 10-day disabled list. He’s back in the lineup batting leadoff Monday night.

So much for the idea that Mookie Betts needed a rehab stint to get his timing back at the plate. The Boston Red Sox activated their star outfielder prior to Monday night’s game in Baltimore.

To make room on the 25-man roster, the club optioned first baseman Sam Travis to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Betts is back in his familiar leadoff spot in tonight’s lineup against the Orioles.

The 25-year old has missed the last 14 games with pain in his abdomen. The injury was never considered to be all that serious. Yet you can’t blame the team for being ultra-cautious. One wrong move or awkward swing could turn a minor issue into a devastating injury. Better to miss a couple of weeks now than a couple months with a strained oblique.

Betts has taken batting practice on the field an in the cage over the last few days. Manager Alex Cora had stated on several occasions that the decision to send him to Pawtucket for a rehab game would be up to Betts. It seemed that he would welcome the chance to get in a few swings in live game action to ensure he could contribute as soon as he was activated.

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Apparently, he changed his mind. Watching his team drop two out of three at home to the lowly Chicago White Sox without him could explain why.

Prior to landing on the disabled list, Betts was the clear front-runner for the AL MVP. He leads the league with a .359 average, .437 OBP, .750 SLG and 1.187 OPS. His time spent on the shelf cost him in the counting categories but he remains tied for the league lead with 52 runs. He’s also tied for sixth with 17 home runs and fourth with 13 steals.

Betts returns at an opportune time as the Red Sox set out on a 10-game road trip. He may have been eager to return knowing that trip begins in Baltimore, a park where he’s thrived throughout his career. Betts has hit .301 with a 1.004 OPS, 11 home runs, and 26 RBI in 31 career games at Camden Yards.

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The Red Sox went 8-6 without Betts. They’ve lost three of their last four to drop a half-game behind the New York Yankees in the AL East. The return of their star outfielder should help them get back on track before they lose any more ground on their rivals.