Mookie Betts is back, and Dodgers fans couldn't be more relieved. The eight-time All-Star returned to the Los Angeles lineup Monday night after a five-week absence due to a right oblique strain, just in time for a crucial series opener against the San Francisco Giants.

Slotted in the No. 2 spot behind Shohei Ohtani and ahead of Freddie Freeman, Betts brings a much-needed spark to a lineup that has struggled mightily in his absence. The Dodgers had dropped seven of their last 11 games, scoring three runs or fewer in eight of those contests. It's been a tough stretch for a team with championship aspirations.

"We just have to make sure we swing at good pitches," Betts said before the game, keeping his focus simple. "Those guys are good, too. They drive nice cars, too. We just have to control the zone, swing at good pitches."

The 2018 AL MVP was quick to downplay any superhero expectations, emphasizing that this is a team effort. "I know I'm not the hero," Betts said. "It's important for everyone to know it's going to take all of us and not just one guy getting through their struggles or whatever it is."

Before the injury, Betts was off to a slow start, batting just .179 with two home runs in eight games. He went on the injured list April 5, and the recovery process proved longer than expected. "I just didn't really realize how long it takes for it to really heal," he admitted. "I felt pretty good pretty fast actually. But just some of the movements I couldn't do kind of lingered for a long time. I was trying to hurry but obviously the doctors were saying it just takes a month for it to heal."

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is easing Betts back into action, starting him at shortstop Monday and Tuesday before giving him Wednesday off. "After seven days, six days, I think he's going to want to be in there regularly, but we'll kind of see," Roberts said.

For Betts, who was tearing it up in spring training with a .357 average and .786 OPS before briefly leaving for the birth of his third child, this return is about finding his rhythm again. He went 2-for-5 in two minor league rehab games, but Roberts is realistic about the adjustment period. "Certainly two games of rehab, taking batting practice, a day of live at-bats, is not ideal," the manager noted.

Whether Betts can help turn the Dodgers' fortunes around remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: having a healthy, motivated Mookie Betts back in the lineup is a huge step in the right direction.