Mookie Betts is in the midst of his worst statistical season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but lately has been showing signs of a potential turnaround.
The eight-time All-Star is 9-for-31 (.290) with two doubles, one home run, one RBI and seven runs scored over his last seven games. Betts had a productive road trip and now carries a three-game hitting streak into Tuesday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium.
“I thought even in Pittsburgh, he started to hit the ball harder, and it was just kind of right at the guys, whether it’s at the shortstop, the left field, the center fielder,” manager Dave Roberts said of Betts’ recent success.
“So quality of contact is a lot better. He was still getting a little bit frustrated because they weren’t falling, but the last couple days, threw out some hits. I think he’s put a smile on his face, hitting a homer. So, yeah, the arrow is pointing up with the Mookie, as far as how he feels, where his swing is at.”
While Betts’ overall numbers have been disappointing — he’s sporting a career-worst .644 on-base plus slugging in 38 games to date — Roberts believes the four-time World Series champion is trending in the right direction with more than half a season still to be played.
“I think the word I would say, if I had to sum it up, is he’s been searching,” Roberts explained. “I think all year, he’s been searching. Nothing has stuck. So I think that we’re in a good spot right now with the way he’s feeling, the buy-in with the swing itself, and then now getting some results.”
Betts went 1-for-4 with a double in the Dodgers’ 4-3 comeback win over the Rays on Monday. That came after he went a combined 5-for-9 (.556) with a home run in two games against the Chicago White Sox to close out the team’s road trip.
Dave Roberts ‘surprised’ by Mookie Betts’ struggles
Betts put in a lot of work to fix his swing mechanics during the offseason, but hasn’t been able to reap many rewards to this point. The 33-year-old was previously sidelined with a right oblique strain that cost him five weeks, but Roberts nevertheless is puzzled by his struggles so far.
“I don’t know about the injury piece. I am surprised, considering the work that he put in the offseason, where he was at in Spring Training, and then to kind of get back to ground zero. But hitting is hard, and it seems like the last few years, we’ve always kind of had to rework things with Mookie swing, and then he ultimately gets into a decent spot.”
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