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Dodger Blue > Dodgers News > Best Dodgers Plays Of 2021 Season: No. 1, Mookie Betts Makes Game-Winning Catch
Dodgers NewsFeatured

Best Dodgers Plays Of 2021 Season: No. 1, Mookie Betts Makes Game-Winning Catch

Matthew Moreno
December 21, 2021
4 Min Read
Mookie Betts
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
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Heading into the 2021 regular season, the expectation was the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, two World Series favorites, would battle it out for National League West supremacy as well.

The Padres were picked by many to end the Dodgers’ streak of division titles, which of course wound up being completed by the San Francisco Giants in a complete surprise. Nevertheless, the Dodgers and Padres played highly-contested and entertaining games, particularly early in the year.

One of those came at Petco Park in the middle of April and ended on Mookie Betts making a diving catch that the DodgerBlue.com staff ranked as the best Dodgers play from the 2021 season.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the tying runners in scoring position, Tommy Pham hit a line drive that Betts immediately broke left on and sprawled out for a game-winning catch in the right-center field gap.

Making it all the more impressive was Betts not only got to the baseball but held onto it in the palm of his glove. The catch probability was a mere 10% according to Statcast, making it a five-star play.

“That play is really hard to make. Coming across, not in or back, for him to be able to do that is another reason why Mookie is the best,” Clayton Kershaw said after the Dodgers escaped. “It was a big catch, because extra innings would’ve been tough. That was huge.”

Betts said he “kind of blacked out” on the sequence.

Sound pic.twitter.com/V8jzVHv86d

— Mad Choriyama (@MadChoriyama) April 18, 2021

“It takes an elite defender in center to make that play,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “A lot of things have got to line up: the jump on the baseball, the line to the ball and still secure the baseball.

“There’s a handful of guys that probably could’ve made that play. It just speaks to that’s why he’s arguably the best all-around player in baseball.”

Justin Turner added: “It saved the game. Obviously he’s a guy that can change the game and impact the game in so many different ways. Whether’s that offensively, with baserunning, or like that catch to end the game, with his glove.”

Betts was recognized by MLB as having completed the Play of the Week.

Top Dodgers plays from 2021

No. 1: Mookie Betts makes game-ending catch

No. 2: ‘1+4’ comeback against Padres

No. 3: Max Scherzer dominates Astros

No. 4: Chris Taylor web gems with injured neck

No. 5: Cody Bellinger walk-off home run vs. Cubs

No. 6: AJ Pollock robs Manny Machado of home run

No. 7: Will Smith walk-off home run vs. Giants

No. 8: Mookie Betts catch and throw for double play against Pirates

No. 9: Trea Turner scores from first base on infield single

No. 10: Justin Turner, World Series ring ceremony

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!

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TAGGED:Best Dodgers plays of 2021 seasonLos Angeles DodgersMookie Betts
ByMatthew Moreno
Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Executive Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com
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