When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts prior to the 2020 season, it may not have been known at the time, but it was the start of what has become a new era for the franchise.
The Dodgers had a lot of success in the 2010s, making the postseason seven consecutive years from 2013-2019. However, each one fell short of their goal to win a World Series.
Betts was acquired to help get the Dodgers over the hump, and he did exactly that. In his first season with the team, the Dodgers went on to win their first World Series title since the 1988 season.
The Dodgers then won another World Series title this year, becoming the first team with multiple titles in the 2020s and perhaps signaling the start of a true dynasty as the club is stacked with talent and set up well moving forward.
Of course, winning a World Series is difficult, and the best team doesn’t always finish as the last one standing in October. But Betts has proven to be a winner, adding two more rings in his five seasons with the Dodgers after also winning one with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
Betts is the only active position player with three championships, and he’s hoping to add more to his résumé so he can put more rings on his fingers.
“When I became a Dodger, it was for what, 12 or 13 years? It was a lot of years, and we’ve got two so far,” Betts said at the Dodgers World Series celebration. “We’ve got like eight, nine years left. I’ve got to get to at least five or six, right? We have to do this five or six times, right?”
“I’ve got three. I’m trying to fill this hand up, L.A.”
Shohei Ohtani echoed a similar sentiment to Betts, only with a little more greed. After failing to make the playoffs in each season with the Los Angeles Angles, Ohtani won his first ring in his first season with the Dodgers.
During the celebration inside the clubhouse after the clinching Game 5, Ohtani told Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman he wants to win nine more over the next nine years of his deal.
The modern day playoff format makes repeating highly improbable, and winning three World Series in a row nearly impossible.
MLB has not had a repeat winner since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000, showing just how difficult the season and playoffs are. But the Dodgers may have the best chance to repeat of any recent winner, even if it’s still unlikely.
Other back-to-back champions include the 1992-1993 Toronto Blue Jays, 1977-1978 Yankees, 1975-1976 Cincinnati Reds and the 1972-1974 Oakland Athletics. The longest streak of repeating is held by the 1949-1953 Yankees that won five straight World Series championships, so the Dodgers have their work cut out for them to reach Ohtani’s goal.
However, Betts is in a great position to reach his goal as he’s under contract through the 2032 season, so he could retire with a hand full of rings when it’s all said and done.
Mookie Betts returning to infield not guaranteed
As the Dodgers navigate another offseason with multiple roster needs, general manager Brandon Gomes indicated Betts would be playing the infield at the start of the 2025 season, with it still to be decided if that’s going to come at second base or shortstop.
But even with an expected change, Gomes noted Betts moving back to the infield has not been permanently decided on.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
