Mookie Betts has struggled for the better part of the 2025 season and was recently mired in a difficult stretch that saw him go hitless across a career-worst 22 consecutive at-bats.
However, the eight-time All-Star appears to be turning a corner as he has gone 9-for-his-last 22 with two doubles, one home run and five RBI since Aug. 5.
Betts has consulted with several players in effort of getting back on track, including Freddie Freeman, who recently had been mired in a slump of his own amid a future Hall of Fame career.
“Obviously we all know who Freddie is and what he’s done,” Betts said. “It’s just good to talk with someone that’s in the grinder with you, that’s in the day to day with you.
“He’s there supporting me and I just run things by him. He’s always there for me and he’s always been there. I love him for that.”
Betts also worked on his swing with former teammate and close friend J.D. Martinez when the Dodgers were in Tampa last week.
“It’s super valuable,” Betts said of his batting practice session with Martinez. “He definitely does help me from a baseball perspective, but he’s just a really good friend of mine.
“We just developed a relationship through grinding. When we first came to Boston, I remember us both grinding in the cage, and we just became homeboys since then. He reached out to check in. He’s always helped me.”
When asked about the advice Martinez gave him, Betts said the overall message was to stay true to himself rather than a mechanical fix.
“I went 0-for-16 when he was there, so I don’t know if something necessarily clicked in,” Betts explained. “Mostly it was just some confidence, man. Just confidence in my abilities and do my best to believe in myself.”
Mookie Betts taking new mindset
With the Dodgers entering the stretch run of their schedule, Betts admitted there isn’t enough time for him to fix his overall numbers but that he can still help the Dodgers win games.
“I mean, season’s over,” Betts said. “My season is kind of over, so I chalk that up to not a great season, but I can help the boys win every night. Get an RBI, make a play, do something.
“I had to shift my focus there. Obviously, everyone wants to have great seasons, but it’s a lot easier when you don’t worry about the season and just worry game to game. I think I’ll take this perspective the rest of my career. …
“It’s something new for me to focus on the moment, really stay in the moment. Like I said, it’s something I’ll use for the rest of my career.”
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