We’re going to go out and a limb and guess Mookie Betts’ noggin is feeling just fine.
After sitting out the previous 11 games with a concussion, the Boston Red Sox center fielder immediately hit his stride Tuesday in his return to game action. Betts collected hits in each of his first three plate appearances, stole a base and drove in two runs as the Red Sox lost to the Miami Marlins 5-4 in 10 innings.
Speaking with MassLive.com over the weekend in Detroit, the 22-year-old explained how he spent his two weeks away from the game.
“I called it homework, what I was doing,” Betts said. “Sit back and watching video and analyzing myself since I had plenty of time to do that. Obviously during the season I wouldn’t be doing that because I want to be doing different things. But I had time to do homework and how to play the game and watching a whole bunch of different games and seeing what other outfielders were doing and their approaches. It was kind of a good thing.”
Red Sox fans would agree.
In fact, this is the second time this season Betts seemingly has come back stronger following an injury. After colliding with Fenway Park’s center field triangle during a June 11 matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays, the outfielder sat out two games, then proceeded to collect multiple hits in six of his next seven, batting .580 (18-for-31) over that span.
Some additional notes from Tuesday:
— Betts wasn’t the only member of Boston’s 25-and-under crew to put up big numbers against Miami. He, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and left fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. provided seven of the Red Sox’s nine hits and scored three of the team’s four runs.
— Bradley (2-for-4, triple, two runs scored) started in left for the first time since 2013 but still managed to come up with yet another fantastic catch. He also gave quite the cocky quote about his renowned defensive prowess:
[tweet https://twitter.com/TimBritton/status/631300474797486080 align=’center’]
— Knuckleballer Steven Wright could not recapture the magic of his previous two starts. Though he was in line for the win when he exited, the right-hander walked five Marlins batters and lasted just five-plus innings.
“(Tuesday) was a tough one for me trying to just get the knuckleball over,” Wright told reporters after the game, as aired on “Red Sox Extra Innings LIVE.” “I felt like it was moving pretty good, but I just struggled getting it over the plate, so I was forced to throw more fastballs than I’d like. It wasn’t what I planned on doing when I got in there, but it was just one of those things where it was tough for me to find that happy medium, being able to get it over for strikes.”
Wright was charged with two runs on five hits. He struck out four.
— Elsewhere in his conversation with MassLive, Betts discussed his strong relationship with former Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino, who was traded three days after Betts went down with his concussion.
“Being with him from Day 1 when I first started talking to him and getting to know him he was really like a big brother, like a mentor that I had, and obviously it hurt to see him go,” Betts said.
“Obviously I’m not on my own out there, but having him there, I could make a decision and then I know I have the answer right behind. You know how you grow up and your parents kind of let you go on your own? I feel like that’s kind of what it is. I’m on my own now.
“I have to make my own decisions — obviously I made my own decisions (before) out there — but he kind of directed me on the right path and even though I may do something one way, he’d tell me, here’s another way that may be better.”
Thumbnail photo via Robert Mayer/USA TODAY Sports Images
