Mookie Betts is happy to be back in the Dodgers' lineup

Mookie Betts’ trademark smile is back. As he walked off the field on his way back to the Dodgers clubhouse, he was in good spirits after his pregame warmup, exclaiming, “I feel great. Awesome. Normal.”

For Betts, Tuesday marked a return to normalcy, with the star shortstop back in the lineup against the Angels. Betts was slated to get “three at-bats, play four or five innings of defense,” according to manager Dave Roberts.

Coming back from his stomach ailment, Betts played into the sixth inning of the Dodgers' 4-1 victory over the Angels. He finished 0 for 3 with a couple of groundouts and a foul out to first base.

Betts emphasized that his main focus is simply “to play baseball.” He added, “I still don’t know how long, how many days it’s been — just to play baseball and try to get back into a rhythm."

It had been nearly two weeks since Betts last took the field, and while he acknowledges there's not much time to get back into game shape, he could be deemed ready by manager Dave Roberts for Thursday's home opener against the Detroit Tigers.

"Yeah, I played in the game," Betts said with a chuckle. "Once I step foot on the dirt, I'm ready to go."

Betts has been battling a stomach illness since the Dodgers’ trip to Tokyo, where he was sent home early. He reassured everyone that his only physical issue was his stomach and the weight he lost, remaining strong as ever.

He said the medication prescribed by team doctors has been effective, and he also identified what foods to avoid — though he said "I'll keep that in house."

Since then he has worked to regain weight — a process Roberts said has progressed in recent days, as Betts has been able to hold down food and manage his dehydration from the weight loss.

“All signs point toward we’ve turned a corner, and we feel good about where he’s at for tonight,” Roberts said before the game.

There was consideration of shutting Betts down, according to Roberts, but the team is taking a day-to-day approach. After discussions with Betts, the training and coaching staff agreed that "the right thing for him to do is to take good at-bats rather than not play."

His return to the lineup just days before the home opener is a positive sign that he’s on the mend. The team will evaluate his condition Wednesday to determine if he’ll play against the Detroit Tigers.

“I know Mookie’s expectation is to be in there on opening day,” Roberts said.

Dustin May's final spring training start

It has been nearly two years since Dustin May started at the big league level. A battle with injuries — and a near-death experience — has cost him a substantial portion of his career.

The typically fiery pitcher kept his composure in his final spring training outing, tossing five innings while giving up just one run on one hit and striking out six Angels batters, effectively using his breaking ball. He even took a line drive to the backside from a Tim Anderson line-up drive in the fourth and finished the inning.

“It was really, really good to get back on a big league field, feel the energy, feel the stands and just get back into an actual big league game,” May said, acknowledging the feelings on being on a major league mound.

“There was a lot of emotions going through the head… But definitely looking forward to my next one, Dodger Stadium, that one's gonna hit home a little bit more,” May said, looking toward the regular season.

Now the Dodgers' fifth starter, May is tentatively set to pitch in the team's second home series of the season against the Atlanta Braves — a moment he has been anticipating for what felt like an eternity.

“There’s gonna be a lot going through my mind because of all the time I’ve had to think about it,” May said. “I was waiting for 13 months, and then the esophagus thing happened, and that changed my perspective on a lot of things in life.”

Read more:After near-death experience, Dustin May thrilled to be pitching: 'Like a new beginning'

Being added to the rotation is monumental for May, reflecting the hard work he's put in. “The last three, four years that I haven't really been able to play are kind of paying off in this moment,” he said.

His journey back to the mound in a Dodgers uniform has been a testament to his resilience, and Roberts has seen firsthand the determination that brought him to this point.

“The main thing I’ve seen from Dustin is that he’s managing his emotions better,” Roberts said before the game, praising May’s mental approach.

From a mechanical standpoint, Roberts has noticed May’s growth from a pitcher who once let things “sort of spiral” when he lost command to one who can now regroup and get the outs he needs.

May will take the mound in the final spring training game against the Angels, with Roberts saying he will pitch about five innings.

“We got to the finish line as far as spring training, and he'll gear up for the Braves," Roberts said after the game. "He's put a lot of work into this, and I’m really proud. He said he's ready to go."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.