When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox, they knew they were getting a perennial All-Star and former MVP. But to this point, he has been even better than advertised.
Betts has been a huge catalyst during the team’s seven-game winning streak, doing whatever it takes to help the Dodgers, whether it be clutch hits, home runs, savvy baserunning or great defense.
It appears his winning contributions aren’t just limited to on the field though.
One of the Dodgers’ current hottest hitters is Austin Barnes. He got off to a rough start to the season offensively but has found his form over the last week, hitting safely in seven straight games while hitting .500 (12-for-24) with a home run in that span.
“It’s nice going up there feeling like you’re going to hit the ball hard. I’m putting better ABs together, I feel pretty good up there and feel pretty good where my barrel is,” Barnes said. “It’s a good feeling, for sure.”
Barnes credited some tweaks made to his swing for that success, and revealed that Betts has been helping him make those changes.
“Mookie is great. I can’t say enough about him and what he’s doing in the clubhouse. He’s helped me tremendously. I don’t know if he wants it all out there. He’s helped swinging-wise,” Barnes said.
“Just talking about hitting and he’s helped me in the cage. He’s been in the cage with me and watched me swing. That just shows you what kind of teammate he is, to take time out his day to help someone else. He’s been great.
“He reached out to me, which was pretty cool. He has a great feel for his swing, obviously. He’s always making little adjustments and he just thought he could help. He really has.”
It’s difficult to quantify the complete impact a player makes, but Betts is easily one of the most influential players in the league, and that is one of the reasons why the organization felt so confident giving him a 12-year, $365 million contract extension.
As for Barnes, his offensive production has been a pleasant surprise, especially since he has been forced into more of an everyday role while Will Smith is on the injured list with a neck issue.
Barnes is now just one point below Betts for the highest batting average on the team among those that have seen significant playing time. He is slashing a very respectable .304/.347/.391, which in addition to the way he handles the pitching staff, is a plus player for L.A.
“I feel good mentally, I feel free mentally. I was a little clouded before, and it’s hard to hit like that,” Barnes said. “When your mechanics are in the right spot and you feel like you can put a good swing on the ball, it makes it a lot easier to be clearer in the headspace.”
Roberts believed Barnes would benefit from string of starts
When Smith went down, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it clear that Barnes would see a majority of the playing time, and even expressed optimism he would benefit from it.
“It works in the sense of giving Austin some consistent at-bats. It’ll be nice to get Will back but getting Austin going is certainly a good thing,” Roberts said late last week.
To this point, it has worked to perfection, and if Barnes can continue to swing a hot bat, the Dodgers may have one of the best catching duos in the league when Smith returns.
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