Mookie Betts had a slow start to the 2022 season and then suffered a fractured rib in June once he finally began to get hot at the plate. But with those issues now fully behind him, the 29-year-old has been on a tear for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In August, Betts is batting .333 with eight home runs, 17 RBI and 28 runs scored across 24 games. Since being activated off the injured list on July 3, he is hitting .291 with 14 home runs, 29 RBI, 46 runs scored in 48 games.
He has additionally hit homers in three straight games against the Miami Marlins, including a two-homer day on Friday while going 8-for-15 (.533) in the series.
Although Betts is arguably the hottest hitter on the planet right now, manager Dave Roberts is going to give his right fielder a day off on Monday as he tries to balance getting the superstar enough rest and keeping his bat in the Dodgers lineup, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“The challenge for me is to recognize that [he’s getting hot], but to resist the urge to run him out there every single day,” Roberts said. “So that’s why it’s my decision to give him a day tomorrow — to keep that flame going.”
Following an injury-plagued 2021, Betts has remained relatively healthy apart from the rib injury this season, and the Dodgers are hoping to keep it that way as their sights are fully set on lifting the World Series trophy at the end of the season.
Overall this season, Betts is batting .281/.350/.560 with 31 home runs, 69 RBI, 99 runs scored and a 155 wRC+. He is just one home run away from tying a career high, which came during his MVP season in 2018.
Betts wanted to set tone for Dodgers
The Dodgers faced the Marlins on Sunday with a 9 a.m. West Coast start time, but that didn’t slow down Betts, who had another big performance at loanDepot Park.
He provided the Dodgers with an immediate lead by hitting a leadoff homer off Marlins starter Edwin Cabrera and finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a triple shy of the cycle.
While Betts has seven leadoff home runs this season, he believed the blast on Sunday carried extra significance because of the rare start time for the Dodgers.
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