MLB Awards season concluded last week with the American League and National League MVPs being announced on Thursday afternoon. Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were finalists, but both fell short in a unanimous win for Atlanta Braves All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr.
The majority of 2023 MVP finalists and winners — which Shohei Ohtani received in the AL, also unanimously — appeared on MLB Network during their hour-long special. Ohtani was petting his dog when announced as the winner, and Acuña was in the Tiburones de La Guaira clubhouse as he’s participating in the Venezuelan Winter Meeting.
Meanwhile, Freeman and Marcus Semien were in their respective homes. Corey Seager had a scheduling conflict, and Betts took the video call from his car.
MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds initially joked Betts likely was doing that because of young children in the house making noise.
No off days for Mookie Betts, girl dad. 😂 pic.twitter.com/lyoeDLeuv4
— Cut4 (@Cut4) November 17, 2023
Reynolds wasn’t far off as Betts sheepishly apologized and revealed he was in line to pick up his daughter from school. That drew a hearty laugh from Freeman, who himself is the father of three children.
Although Acuña ran away with the 2023 NL MVP Award, Betts enjoyed one of his better seasons. Betts finished the year batting .307/.408/.579/ with 40 doubles, 39 home runs, 107 RBI, 14 stolen bases, 126 runs scored and a 167 wRC+.
Betts ranked top three in the NL in wRC+, OPS+ (163), doubles, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging (.987) and extra-base hits (80). Betts’ 39 homers set a new career high and he also broke the MLB record for most RBI as a leadoff hitter.
Mookie Betts’ children
Betts’ eldest daughter, Kynlee, turned five years old earlier this month. Betts and his wife, Brianna, welcomed a son, Kaj, in April.
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