Mookie Betts back on June 8. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Mookie Betts missed 14 games with an abdominal strain, but returned without his reportedly desired rehab assignment to bat leadoff last night in a 2-0 Red Sox shutout of the Orioles.
Betts singled once in five at-bats to push his hitting streak to four games, but exited early in the 11th.
Will he play tonight? The Sox could really use him. Here's Alex Cora:
"He hasn't played in two weeks, so I think that was enough for him right there," Cora said. "He's good to go. He's fun to have in the lineup, he changes the game, but we felt that that was enough for today after the lay-off. We'll see how he is tomorrow. He told me after the game 'I'm okay,' so we'll see how he feels, and we'll decide tomorrow if he plays or not."
Eduardo Rodriguez Takes Four-Game Winning Streak Into Baltimore
The Red Sox have won two of their last three games and, tonight, they'll send a man to the mound who basically never loses.
Betts is an MVP candidate who leads the majors in average, slugging percentage, and OPS, and he's second in runs scored and top-ten in homers and doubles in just 49 games. Plus, Boston's only scored 10 runs its last five games against lousy competition.
Seven-and-one Eduardo Rodriguez will square off with David Hess in tonight's 7:05 p.m. start. Red Sox are 7-and-1 this season against the MLB-worst Orioles.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports