Mookie Betts’ postseason struggles were well documented leading up the the 2024 National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, and his start didn’t due anything to change the narrative.
Betts went 0-for-6 in Game 1 and 2 of the series, which left both him and fans frustrated. It also put him on a streak of 22 consecutive postseason at-bats without recording a hit with his last one dating back to 2022.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts ended up having a meeting with Betts to address the struggles, but the skipper maintained his confidence in the star right fielder and believed he would get back on track.
“I don’t even remember Doc’s message on Monday, to be honest,” Betts said. “It seems like it was so long ago. I think I just needed to see one fall, man. I think I just needed to see one fall and get a little confidence.”
Aside from Roberts’ message, Betts also had to make a mental adjustment on his own, via FOX Sports MLB:
“I was just letting it get to me. I was really just letting it get to me. And really what was getting to me is that I wasn’t able to help the team. I know it’s going to take everybody, but I just wanted to do my part. Control the things that I can control, and I wasn’t. I was messing up and not doing my part with the team. So that was what was really killing me. I really just reached down, said some prayers, reached down deep and tried to become a dog. It worked.”
Betts got his first hit in Game 3, going 2-for-4 with a home run, just one game after being robbed of a homer as well. In Game 4, he followed it up with a 2-for-5 performance, driving in two runs and hitting another homer.
“I know my team did an amazing job,” Betts said. “My teammates did an amazing job trying to instill confidence in me. I had to turn off all social media because that was all negative. I had to get some positive vibes in me, and my team did it. And I worked hard and finally saw one fall and I think we’re all right now.”
Betts also continued to put in work while making his mental adjustments, saying he took more than 300 swings to break out of his slump. He continued to do that, getting as many swings as he could before the games.
“Hit. Kept hitting,” Betts said. “That’s all I’ve been doing. That’s what I know. I work. Again, I just want to do my part. I’m not trying to win the game for us. We got plenty of guys that can win games for us. I just want to do my part in the team. That’s all I’ve been focused on.”
Mookie Betts not worried about fatigue
Too many swings in practice can cause additional problems for players, mainly fatigue, but Betts hasn’t been concerned about that.
“I don’t care about overdoing it,” he said. “I’d rather overdo it than not give effort. Pretty much as soon as I get to the park I’m in the cage and I don’t leave until I go back on the field. And I come back inside and I hit some more. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
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