If any bat in the Dodgers lineup deserves patience, it is the one that belongs to Mookie Betts.
The 4-time World Series champion has earned the right to have his name penciled onto the Los Angeles scorecard no matter what the batting average says. Right now it sits at .182, and to be quite honest, it could read .082, and Dave Roberts would still likely feel confident enough that his star shortstop will turn things around.
For the first time since 2017 in Boston, Betts finds himself outside of the top 3 spots in the batting order. Roberts moved him from the 2-hole to the 4-hole, which could be viewed as a demotion, but, as with his position switch, it is really just a new challenge for the now cleanup hitter.
In his first at-bat in the new spot, Betts hit a home run. He finished the night 3-5 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs while leading the charge during an offensive onslaught.
“I don’t think (being moved down in the order) has anything to do with it. I think it is just putting in the work. It doesn’t matter if I am hitting ninth or wherever, it is the same work,” said Betts.
The underlying metrics suggest Betts has been squaring the ball up better than the numbers would suggest, and he is finally starting to see some results.
“My goal is to help the boys. In the game on Monday, I got to lie down and go to sleep just because I got a sac fly. Those are the things that matter the most to me. Of course, I would love to go crazy, hit a bunch of home runs, get a bunch of hits, and whatnot, but if it’s not winning ballgames, it doesn’t really matter,” said Betts.
Betts has dealt with a lot over the past few seasons.
He moved from his Gold Glove right field position to shortstop, the most mentally and physically demanding spot on the field aside from catcher. He dealt with a stomach virus that caused him to play at 160 pounds last season, 20 under his usual weight. He also injured his oblique early this year, which caused him to miss five weeks.
Every one of these singular obstacles would mess with a hitter at the plate. Betts has had to work his way through all three simultaneously, and that does not factor in that he is starting to creep closer to his mid-30s.
Critics want to quickly point to the age and switch to the infield as the main reasons for Betts’ dip in production, but the weight fluctuation and oblique injury are likely the bigger causes in this instance.
Betts is already a smaller MLB player, so any loss in muscle mass puts him in a big hole when it comes to hitting for power, and having much of the middle portion of a season stripped away can knock a player out of rhythm when it comes to hitting for average.
In 2025, he had to adjust his swing and approach to cope with reduced power. Now Betts is having to readjust his mechanics to return to being a player capable of hitting 30-plus home runs a year.
If these factors are the underlying issue, they are much more correctable with time than something like age or position. Betts is not getting any younger, and he has become so reliable at shortstop that he will not be making a return to the outfield any time soon.
“I have a directive. I know exactly what I need to do every day. That doesn’t mean it’s going to translate to hits, but I know exactly how to train my body and train my mind to have it translate on the field now,” said Betts.
The catalysts for the Dodgers’ lineup during this dynasty run have been the trio of superstars at the top of the lineup. Betts’ versatility, combined with Shohei Ohtani’s power and Freddie Freeman’s consistency, is the backbone of their potent lineup. Jumping ship too early on any parts of that equation would be a massive mistake, and one the Dodgers will not make.
“I still have the expectation (to be at an MVP-type of offensive level), it is just hard when you are focused on the wrong things. I don’t think (the 2-homer game) was luck,” said Betts.
If anyone is up for the task, it is this guy. There are not many better team-first players in the league. Betts always does what is asked of him and has done it at a high level for over a decade.
A resurgence is coming; it is only a matter of time. Until then, Mookie will continue to put in the work, and the Dodgers will have to live with Gold Glove-caliber shortstop play from a guy who has hit 6 home runs in 22 games and 297 in his career.
Benjamin Verbrugge is a reporter for News4usonline who studied journalism at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sports have brought me much joy throughout my life, and I want to give a little back to something that has meant so much to me.” Email Benjamin at benverbrugge8@gmail.com.
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