Mookie Betts has been the best player in baseball this year, so it was a total letdown when he ended up on the DL with an abdominal strain.
He made his return to the Boston Red Sox lineup on Monday, took a day off on Tuesday and was back at it again on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles.
It didn’t take long for him to make his presence felt in a big way, either. During his second at-bat of the game, Betts put the Red Sox up 1-0 with a solo shot — his 18th of the season — that heralded his return in a huge way.
Mookie Betts homers in his seventh at bat since returning from the disabled list on Monday. pic.twitter.com/KS3qbtC5WK
— Brendan Campbell (@brendan_camp) June 13, 2018
Red Sox nation rejoiced at this development. Here are some of the best reactions we saw.
Who needs a rehab game?
Mookie Betts smashes a home run into straightaway center field for his 18th of the season. #RedSox– 1#Orioles– 0 pic.twitter.com/YLHD97evLm
— Red Sox on CLNS (@RedSoxCLNS) June 13, 2018
Mookie Betts saw Trout took HR lead and said IM BACK
— JFed ☝️ (@HeyJFed) June 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/Cdane123/status/1006987079501467649
when you haven’t played in a month pic.twitter.com/i0WHL2ZbTC
— Bryan Moss (@itsbryanmoss) June 13, 2018
Mookie Betts homering versus the Orioles is one the few constants in the universe.
— MWT (@LAIslander) June 13, 2018
Mookie Betts just did more for Chris Sale in one inning than the entire lineup in his last game
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) June 13, 2018
MOOKIE BETTS WITH A DING DONG HE’S BAAAAAACK pic.twitter.com/fHg7EBfLc4
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) June 13, 2018