Mookie Betts’ career is young, but he already has made quite the impression around Major League Baseball.
So much so that an opposing manager thinks the 25-year-old is the “best right fielder” he has ever seen in person.
Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter relayed some incredibly high praise for the Boston Red Sox outfielder to MLB.com’s Mike Lupica.
“I’ve told anyone who will listen. He’s the best right fielder I’ve ever seen in person” Showalter said. “The dynamic he creates for them defensively in right field at Fenway is a big advantage for Boston. Special player. Game changer. The term five-tool player is used loosely. But it aptly describes him. One of my most favorite players in our game.”
That sure means a lot coming from one of MLB’s most seasoned skippers.
Betts really has established himself as a true five-tool player already, and his start to 2018 has been emblematic of that. Entering Friday, the Sox star was leading the league in average (.391), home runs (6), doubles (8), slugging (.797), OPS (1.277) and runs scored (22). All the while, he has continued his tremendous defense while patrolling one of the toughest right fields in the game at Fenway Park.
So, yeah, safe to say Showalter is on the money when he defines Betts as a “special player.”
