Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts joined some impressive company Monday night with his 100th RBI of the season.
The 24-year-old star joined Ted Williams as the only Red Sox players with back-to-back 100-plus RBI seasons before the age of 25. Betts went 2-for-3 with an RBI, but the Red Sox lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 at Fenway Park.
Betts is playing some of his best baseball of 2017 at the perfect time for the Red Sox. He’s batting .274 with seven doubles, five home runs, 21 RBI and nine walks over 84 at-bats in September.
His improved production, along with stellar play from rookie outfielder Andrew Benintendi, are among the primary reasons for Boston’s 15-7 record this month. The Red Sox also have scored five or more runs in seven of their last 11 games.
This stretch has helped the Sox hold off the surging New York Yankees, who sit four games behind Boston in the American League East.
The Red Sox will need someone to step up in David Ortiz’s absence during the playoffs, and as one of Major League Baseball’s best players, Betts is a top candidate to fill this role.
— Betts also exited the game with left wrist pain. He was pinch hit for in the eighth inning, when Andrew Benintendi hit his 20th home run of the season.
— The main storyline from the NFL’s Week 3 games was players protesting racial inequality in America by kneeling during the singing of ” The Star-Spangled Banner.” The increased number of protests came after President Donald Trump’s controversial comments and tweets he made Friday through Sunday.
Betts was among the players asked about the protests before Monday’s game, and here’s what he said, per MassLive’s Jen McCaffrey.
“There are different views. I just have my view,” Betts said. “I have a bunch of family that served so I make sure I recognize that. But it depends on who you are and that’s what makes America great. We have freedom of speech.”
Betts added: “It’s people just exercising their rights. We have to see that and understand that, that’s there’s no wrong or right. I think people just believe in what they believe in.”
— Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson went 3-for-3, including a solo home run, an RBI double and a walk. He had been batting just .109 (5-for-46) with 16 strikeouts against the Red Sox this season entering Monday night.
— Boston starter Drew Pomeranz did not pitch well and was pulled after just two innings. He allowed five earned runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out none. The Blue Jays jumped all over his fastball.
The outing was Pomeranz’s shortest of 2017.
— Eduardo Nunez returned to the Red Sox lineup as the designated hitter and doubled in his first at-bat. He didn’t look comfortable after fouling off a pitch during his second at-bat in the third inning, though, and after finishing the at-bat he limped back to the dugout and went down the tunnel. Sam Travis replaced Nunez as the DH and went 1-for-1.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
