Mookie Betts seemingly can do it all on the baseball diamond.
In addition to being a stellar fielder and top-tier leadoff hitter, Betts has quite a bit of pop. The Boston Red Sox right fielder certainly has flexed his muscles this season, as his 23 home runs are good for eighth-best in Major League Baseball at the All-Star break.
While it’s clear that Betts is more than capable of hitting baseballs into the seats, the 25-year-old doesn’t want to be viewed as a home run hitter. And during ESPN’s coverage of the Home Run Derby on Monday night, Betts employed a pretty humorous way of explaining why he shouldn’t receive the label.
“I’m not a home run hitter,” Betts told Jessica Mendoza. “It just happens to go over the fence.”
Whatever you say, Mookie.
In fairness to Betts, viewing him simply as a home run hitter wouldn’t be doing the three-time All-Star justice. He’s an all-around, five-tool player, who just so happens to hit a number of round-trippers.
