BALTIMORE -- A quick transcript of Mookie Betts' meeting with reporters Monday after being reactivated by the Red Sox:
WHY TODAY?
Just talking with [manager Alex Cora] and [president of baseball operations Dave] Dombrowski and just decided to go ahead and jump right into it.
WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT IN THE RECOVERY?
I think through this whole thing, I’ve felt not so bad because it wasn’t like a big tear. It wasn’t anything that really [had] to turn, I guess, to or from. It was just a matter of letting it kind of heal and letting it come together. Only real thing I couldn’t do was hit. But every other activity I was fine doing.
DID YOU HIT OFF THE MACHINE?
Yeah, I hit off the machine and everything yesterday and everything went just fine. We’ll do some more work today and get in there play.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED TOMORROW OFF?
I think we’ll just kind of see how I feel after the game today. Kind of go from there.
DID IT HELP TO RAMP UP ACTIVITY?
Yeah, I think the intensity of swings definitely helps you. I was able to ramp it up and kind of see how it feels. It felt good after. That was a good sign.
DID YOU PASS A HURDLE OR A TEST BEFORE PLAYING?
As of right now, no. Just going to go and however the day goes is how the day goes and just be ready to play.
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DID THEY ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING TODAY TO PROVE YOU WERE HEALTHY?
No.
ARE YOU STILL FEELING THE INJURY?
No, no. Right now everything’s pretty gone. We’ll see how the game goes today after nine innings.
AT WHAT POINT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE READY?
I feel like I’ve been ready to play for a couple days. It gets sore sometimes but I think that’s just meaning the muscles are working.
DID YOU AIM TO RETURN IN BALTIMORE?
No, I’m just looking forward to being here and being back in the lineup, no matter where we were I think I was going to try and get in there at some point.
WAS IT YOUR DECISION?
Those guys, the training staff and AC (Cora), they’ve been great with just kind of letting me kind of determine everything. They tell me, you’re fine, whenever you feel confident is when we’ll play. So yeah I felt pretty confident.
WAS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME EVER WITH THIS INJURY?
Yeah, first time.
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