The Red Sox activated right fielder Mookie Betts from the disabled list and he'll bat leadoff and play right field on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Baltimore.
Betts has been sidelined since May 27 with a left abdominal strain. Even after missing two weeks, he still leads the American League in runs (52), as well as average (.359), on base percentage (.437), slugging percentage (.750), and OPS (1.187). He also owns 17 home runs and 13 steals.
He returns in a park he has dominated throughout his career. He has 11 lifetime homers in Camden Yards, his most of any visiting park. To make room for Betts on the 25-man roster, the Red Sox optioned first baseman Sam Travis to Triple-A Pawtucket.
Betts will be playing in support of knuckleballer Steven Wright, who's coming off seven innings of shutout ball against the Tigers as he angles for a job in the rotation while left-hander Drew Pomeranz recovers from biceps tendinitis.
Wright will be opposed by right-hander Dylan Bundy, who's 3-6 with a 4.79 ERA lifetime against the Red Sox.
The Red Sox have owned the Orioles thus far, with six wins in seven tries. They've outscored the O's 41-19 and limited Baltimore to no more than three runs six times.
This will be their first visit of the year to Camden Yards, however, where the Orioles are still terrible (10-18, .357) but markedly better than on the road (9-27, .250).
Here's the Boston lineup:
Mookie Betts RFAndrew Benintendi LFJ.D. Martinez DHMitch Moreland 1BXander Bogaerts SSRafael Devers 3BEduardo Nunez 2BChristian Vazquez CJackie Bradley Jr. CF
