Mookie Betts has not been able to maintain the same level of production after appearing to turn a corner last month for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Betts is in a much better place than he was to start the 2026 campaign, but his offensive production has continued its downward trend from last season.
He has had a quiet month of July outside of an offensive explosion in the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Although a single game will not immediately solve all his issues, it was still a much-needed result for the longtime veteran, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“I’ve been here before, so it’s not necessarily uncharted territory. But I’d like to not continue to be here,” Betts said of his offensive downturn the past two seasons. “It’s been a couple years now, and I don’t believe this is who I am. I feel like tonight lets me know I still can do something. And so the main thing is just continuing to try and figure out if I can repeat today.”
Betts was wise enough to know that his hot streak in June did not automatically mean all of his problems at the plate were fixed. He was aware that rebounding into form at the plate would be an ongoing process.
Nothing has changed in that sense, even if it is disheartening to experience a setback. The results in July do not negate what the 33-year-old accomplished in June. The quality of his at-bats and contact were present, but now the goal is to be more consistent.
Betts does not believe the offensive production from the past two seasons is his new baseline, even if the odds seemed stacked against him:
“I think I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t ask that myself,” he said. “I don’t believe it. I feel like I’m in amazing shape, making plays, doing everything (on defense) – you can’t tell on one side of the ball. On the other, I don’t know, man.
“It happened when I broke my hand in ’24. Right before that I was on my way to winning MVP that year. I broke my hand and as I was coming back I know bat speed is something very important for me personally. I think I just developed some really bad habits in that time that I can’t shake. I’ve tried.
“I don’t think this is the new norm. In my heart I don’t believe that. I’m doing my damnedest to figure it out.”
Betts has often changed his routine this season in search of new practices that work for him, but he has recently been inspired by Freddie Freeman’s commitment to maintaining a consistent routine regardless of game-to-game performance.
Mookie Betts dropped in Dodgers lineup again
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts dropped Betts to the fifth spot in the lineup against the Phillies, where he anticipates the 33-year-old to be for some time.
Roberts hopes the lineup change will take some pressure off Betts and allow the game to come to him. It showed positive results in the first game, but he has cooled off again since.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
