Mookie Betts helped the Los Angeles Dodgers immediately cut into a deficit with a leadoff home run in their 7-3 comeback win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. That was Betts’ lone hit on the night in five at-bats.
The leadoff home run was Betts’ second this season, 38th of his career and 18th with the Dodgers. That broke a tie with Ichiro Suzuki for 10th place on the MLB all-time leadoff home run list.
In his first season with the Dodgers — a shortened campaign because of the COVID pandemic — Betts only hit two leadoff home runs. He opened games with seven homers in both 2021 and 2022. He’s on pace to slug around 10 leadoff home runs this season.
Ahead of Betts for ninth place on the most career leadoff home runs list is Charlie Blackmon with 40. Blackmon has the benefit of playing home games at Coors Field, and he’s already hit one leadoff homer this season.
George Springer (53) is the only other active player on the all-time leadoff home runs list. Ricky Henderson is the MLB leader with 81 career leadoff homers.
Of the players to appear on the list, three have played for the Dodgers at some point in their respective careers: Curtis Graderson, Jimmy Rollins and Betts.
Betts’ power from atop the Dodgers lineup has additionally played a part in being tied with Johnny Mize and Sammy Sosa for most three-home run games in MLB history (six).
How Mookie Betts compares on MLB most leadoff home runs list
1. Ricky Henderson (81)
2. Alfonso Soriano (54)
3. George Springer (53)
3. Craig Biggio (53)
5. Ian Kinsler (48)
6. Curtis Granderson (47)
7. Jimmy Rollins (46)
8. Brady Anderson (44)
9. Charlie Blackmon (40)
10. Mookie Betts (38)
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