The Los Angeles Dodgers began their final series of the regular season without Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Tommy Edman in the lineup.
That wasn’t much of a surprise considering the team was just coming off clinching the National League West title and don’t have postseason seeding to play for. Though with Edman (right ankle soreness) and Muncy (leg bruising), their absences were health-related.
Betts not playing made for an opportunity to do an in-game interview with SportsNet LA reporter Kirsten Watson. During their conversation, Betts shared he played the guitar to help fill time on Friday as he didn’t need to go through his usual preparation.
That in turn led to Betts revealing he’s taken to playing guitar, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“I just started, like, a month ago. I’ve got a couple songs under my belt now, but I’m trying to get to where I can do a little live performance somewhere. … I can’t sing, but if you can play the guitar and speak, it sounds good. It does sound good.”
Betts added he already knows “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker and is making progress on learning “I’m the Problem” in order to join country star Morgan Wallen live on stage:
“My goal is to do a live performance with Morgan and my boy ERNEST next offseason. Not this offseason, but next offseason, I’m doing a live performance. You heard it here first.”
Betts further elaborated that he was gifted a guitar by his father, and that prompted his interest in learning how to play. He estimated to spending 30 to 45 minutes on average each day of playing it, but noted sometimes that can extend to two hours. Betts shared he played the guitar on the Dodgers’ flight from Phoenix to Seattle.
Having already become a three-time World Series champion and Gold-Glove right fielder, Betts has become one of the best shortstops in baseball this season and is renowned for talent beyond the baseball field that includes pickleball, bowling and basketball.
Mookie Betts and Morgan Wallen connection
Wallen and Betts share a connection as Tennessee natives and supporters of the Parkwood Community Club in Nashville.
In August of this year, the Morgan Wallen Foundation, along with MLB and the Players Association Youth Development Foundation (MLB-MLBPA YDF) and other local funders, partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville to unveil a newly renovated baseball and softball complex at Parkwood Community Club.
The project included new field turf, lighting, fences, dugouts, scoreboards, parking, concrete and roadways for two youth fields.
Parkwood Community Club is know for being the site of Nashville’s first integrated baseball games.
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