Mookie Betts Thriving in New L.A. Home
In early February, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the offseason by acquiring former AL MVP Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox. In mid-July, Betts signed a long-term contract with the Dodgers that will keep him in Los Angeles for another 12 years. Halfway through the shortened 2020 season, Betts appears to have settled in nicely to his new home.
Production at the Top of the Order
Having taken over the leadoff spot for good, Betts headlines one of the most potent offenses in baseball. His slash line through 33 games is .289/.372/.609. He is behind only Fernando Tatis Jr. in the NL home run race with 11. He has 27 runs scored, 24 RBI, and six stolen bases. None of his numbers so far will blow you away, but his whole body of work and the team’s success is indicative of his positive impact.
Although there will be no 2020 All-Star game, Betts was unanimously voted a hypothetical All-Star starter by LWOS baseball writers.
At 27 years old, Betts is well into the prime of his career and seems to be only getting better. His home run rate is the highest of his career by far at 11.5 at-bats per home run compared to his career average of 22.2. As the leadoff man, in particular, Betts has a 1.034 OPS in 90 plate appearances. He has the highest Wins Above Replacement (WAR) among major-league position players at 2.2. He elevates himself when it matters, batting .500 with runners in scoring position and two outs.
His defense in right field has been impressive as well. Just ask Ketel Marte.
Mookie with a HOSE. Mookie Betts MVP pic.twitter.com/1CTJpf3nZp
— MLB (@MLB) August 1, 2020
With about a month to go, Betts finds himself in another MVP race. If he were to win, he would be the second baseball player to ever win an MVP award in both leagues (Frank Robinson). According to Oddshark, he is currently the second favorite to win the NL MVP, behind Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres.
Team Support in Boycott
Last Wednesday, Betts reportedly decided not to play against the San Francisco Giants to protest and raise awareness to systemic racial injustice following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. He joined the NBA and several other athletes around the country in this monumental demonstration. If the Dodgers were going to play, it would be without Betts.
The rest of the team, after discussing, chose to sit out in solidarity with Betts and the other athletes around the country responding to this social issue. “What’s something tangible that we can do to help our black brothers on this team?” said Clayton Kershaw, explaining his thought process. “We felt the best thing we could do is support (Betts’ decision) in not playing.”
Betts treasured the support he felt from his teammates. “I was already tight with everybody in the clubhouse, but now that I know that everybody has my back even more than I already thought, means a lot,” he told reporters. “I’ll always remember this day. I’ll always remember this team just having my back.”
After not playing Wednesday, the Dodgers swept Thursday’s doubleheader to take two of three from the Giants. Los Angeles still hasn’t lost a series this year.
Beyond the Playing Field
The impact of Betts extends far beyond his statistical numbers. Apparently, he has been working with Austin Barnes, who’s improved offensively throughout the season. He facilitated a charity event in Compton, helping provide food, health, and voting services to the community.
“This is my home now, LA is my home now, and I definitely want to make an impact here,” Mookie said before the event.
So far, Betts looks like all and more of what he was signed to be: a difference-maker at the top of a lineup, a tremendous clubhouse leader, and an admirable sports icon in the Los Angeles community.
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