Mookie Betts is just over one week into his first season with Los Angeles Dodgers, but he has already proven why the organization was so high on him when they completed the blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox and then inked him to a huge 12-year contract extension.
Betts is known to be one of just a few true five-tool players in Major League Baseball, and he had all of those on display in Friday night’s 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Betts wasted no time showing why he is a four-time Gold Glove Award winner in right field as Diamondbacks leadoff hitter Ketel Marte had a broken-bat double to right to start off the bottom of the first.
He tried to stretch it into a triple, but Betts fielded the ball in foul territory and fired an absolute strike to Corey Seager covering third base for his first outfield assist as a Dodger.
MOOKIE CANNON. pic.twitter.com/ihWN0hwaZf
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 1, 2020
“It was pretty impressive,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Betts’ throw. “I remember another play he made against the Astros, that Tony Kemp play down the line. I think that really allowed Tony (Gonsolin) to settle in. That’s over 300 feet in the air, on a dime. Whether it’s the glove, the bat, the arm, I guess that’s why he’s wearing gold out there.”
Betts also discussed what was going through his mind on that play, knowing that Marte gets around the bases quick. “I knew it was a sure double. I know he has speed, so a possible triple,” he said.
“I tried to get there as fast as possible and I saw he was about to round second to go to third. It didn’t look like he was slowing down, so I knew I needed to get rid of it quick. Fortunately I was able to put a good throw together.”
Betts made a similar throw when he was a member of the Red Sox last September. “I think knowing I’ve done it before, it was kind in the back of my mind,” he said. “Like, ‘I need to get there just in case he goes for third.’ Like I said, he didn’t slow down as he got to second, so I figured I needed to get rid of it as fast as possible and get it there.”
Betts dazzles at the plate
Not only did Betts get it done in the field on Friday night, but he also had his best game at the plate as a member of the Dodgers, going 3-for-5 with an RBI single, double and first home run with the club.
MOOKIE BETTS IS A DODGER. pic.twitter.com/gYHPn3YDEb
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 1, 2020
“I was just kind of swinging to stay in the at-bat. I don’t know how it stayed fair, but it did,” Betts said of the homer that was able to sneak past the left-field foul pole.
He got off to a bit of a slow start at the plate this season, but after the big night, he is now batting .256/.310/.410 and getting more and more comfortable by the day.
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