The Los Angeles Dodgers sit atop the National League West Division by a margin of nine games at the halfway point of the season. Yet, there are still players that haven’t hit their offensive stride. However, signs of life are appearing from a future Hall of Fame shortstop who never stops trying to improve, whether it be with his bat or his glove. Mookie Betts has had a long, circuitous couple of years in the middle of his team’s sustained success. Has he found the key to unlock his swing?
A Storied History
Betts was an established winner before he came to Los Angeles. He won a World Series ring in 2018 and multiple Gold Gloves as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Prior to his arrival, the Dodgers hadn’t won the Fall Classic in more than thirty years. Los Angeles ended the drought in Betts’ inaugural year. It is safe to say, that without Mookie’s clutch contributions on offense and defense, the Dodgers would have had to wait a little longer to celebrate a World Championship.
A Position Change and Injury Detours
Fast forward to the winter of 2025 when Betts transitioned from right field to shortstop. There were some occasional hiccups in the field; however, with the help of teammate Miguel Rojas, others, and obsessive reps, Betts made the change look far easier than it actually was. However, the mental strain of learning a position on the diamond took a toll at the plate. In addition, he contracted a virus shortly before Opening Day last year. The result of the illness left the veteran 20 pounds lighter. Unfortunately, this affected his offensive production. His power numbers were down, and his batting average was more than 20 points lower than his career average.
Amid the struggles, the perennial All-Star had to come to terms with disappointment and change his mindset. Betts said he had to forget about his individual accomplishments and focus on just helping the team win. In the 2025 World Series he had a couple clutch runs batted in, as well as turning the decisive double play that sealed the World Series win.
History Repeats Itself
There were legitimate reasons for optimism coming into spring training this year. Betts was able to regain the weight in the offseason, and his hitting stroke showed promising signs of an offensive resurgence. However, he tweaked an oblique while running the bases in April, which sidelined him for a month and halted his progress at the plate.
When he returned, the bat was slow to recover. Betts’ batting average dipped into the .180’s. Groundouts and pop flies were prevalent. as were the frustrations, which ultimately led to questions on whether the veteran would ever regain the offensive prowess that once dominated his game. Manager Dave Roberts responded by dropping his shortstop in the batting order. Teammates remained effusive in their encouragement.
Is the Tide Turning?
Now, the results are coming. Upon his return from injury, Betts has raised his batting average 50 points. The last 11 games are a microcosm of his ability with the bat. He is hitting .378 with an OPS over 1000. He has knocked three home runs and six extra-base hits, including a triple crown cycle and double-digit RBIs. It looks like he has shortened his batting stance while lengthening his swing in the strike zone. He is not rolling over on pitches as much. Thus increasing hard contact. The transformation has been eye-opening, and the Dodgers are reaping the benefits.
Mookie Betts gets the @Dodgers on the board with career homer No. 300! pic.twitter.com/HPXsriJXKR
— MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2026
It will be interesting to see if the upward trend continues. No doubt, there will be peaks and valleys as the season wanes on. One thing the Dodgers can count on? Their shortstop’s professionalism remains constant. They can bet on that.
Main Image Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
