Since his acquisition from the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2020 season, Mookie Betts has been arguably the most valuable piece to the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, and now that the club is facing a bit of transition and some early speed bumps in 2023, his strength at the top of the batting order is as important as ever.
After tallying three hits on Monday against the San Francisco Giants, Betts possessed a .293/.408/.537 batting line with two homers, 11 runs scored and four RBI. On Tuesday he followed up with a three-walk performance, working multiple long plate appearances and combating a strike zone that seemed to work on a sliding scale.
Betts then had one hit and a walk in the series finale at Oracle Park.
The 30-year-old has given the Dodgers offense solid production through their first 13 games, but according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group, it hasn’t lived up to his expectations:
“It’s been trash,” Betts said, leaning his head back for emphasis. “It’s been (expletive) terrible, bro.”
Much of Betts’ criticism could stem from the club’s overall standing, but with the nature in which the Dodgers have been scoring runs via the boom-or-bust method, frustration is bound to set in when the gears aren’t turning:
“It’s been consistently inconsistent. Consistently inconsistent,” he said, identifying his main self-criticism. “That’s part of the game, right?”
Betts has posted a 150 wRC+ with a .500 slugging percentage through 60 plate appearances and provided a number of highlight throws from right field to save runs. As a key piece to the team, Betts is doing exactly what is expected of him, but sky-high expectations for himself have him wanting to do more when the team isn’t clicking.
The Dodgers sit in second place in the National League West, but with a record of 7-6, one game back of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres a half-game behind in third place, a quick swing in either direction will shift the mood fairly quickly.
And Betts’ production could have a significant influence on which direction the Dodgers head.
Mookie Betts focused on doing ‘my job’
Considering his unique ability to both kickstart an offense and anchor one with a power surge of extra-base hits, Betts’ spot in the Dodgers lineup is pivotal. The six-time All-Star has maintained his stance that the leadoff role suits him best, but he’s also open to a change if need be.
With the offense struggling to find their identity through the early part of the schedule, Betts understands his job is still the same, to be a spark plug.
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