The Los Angeles Dodgers went 24-5 in August, and former Boston Red Sox All-Star Mookie Betts led the way.
Los Angeles’ month didn’t end well, with a loss to the Atlanta Braves, but Betts has been neck and neck with Ronald Acuña Jr. for the National League MVP crown, and each star has their rightful case.
Acuña stood alone in the 30-60 club after his grand slam at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night, which swung his NL MVP odds, but Betts hit his own milestone with his hot August.
Betts batted .455 with 51 hits and 11 home runs last month. This made him the third player since 1900 to have a .450 average with 50 hits and 10 home runs in a single month, joining Babe Ruth (July 1923-24) and Lou Gehrig (June 1930), per ESPN Stats and Info.
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The 30-year-old also has played right field and both middle infield positions for the Dodgers this season. That’s why he has a higher total WAR (7.8) than Acuña (6.7), per FanGraphs.
It will be a race to the finish for NL MVP, and it appears it will come down to whether or not Betts or Acuña can stay hot down the final stretch of the 2023 regular season.
Featured image via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
