Runaway MVP? Versatility Pushes Mookie Betts Amid Tight Race
Betts won the AL MVP in 2018 with Boston
Dodgers star Mookie Betts is doing his part while in the middle of a tight National League MVP race, garnering some strong support along the ride.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts was put on the spot Wednesday and asked who he’d vote for, specifically between Betts and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. Like asking a parent who their favorite child is, Roberts struggled at first, but provided a clear answer after a few seconds.
“Mookie’s having a tremendous year. It’s hard not to say Mookie’s the Most Valuable Player,” Roberts said, per Dodger Blue video. “… I think Mookie’s ability to come in and play on the dirt, which gave runway to Jason Heyward to play right field, I feel good about saying I’d give him the slight nod.”
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Perhaps that could help secure Betts’ case, although it won’t be easy with Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. also in the hunt. Acuña leads Major League Baseball in hits (201) and stolen bases (66) along with 37 home runs.
However, to Roberts’ point, the versatility factor should be taken into consideration — and that’s just the start.
When Betts won his first American League MVP in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox, he strictly played right field. And while that was the best we’d seen from the two-time World Series champ at the time, Betts has since elevated to a new level.
Now playing out West for the Dodgers, the 30-year-old has played all around the diamond, getting 51 starts at second base and 12 at shortstop. Couple that with a .312 batting average, a career-high 39 home runs plus an NL-leading 8.3 WAR and Betts might just add to his already stellar big league resume.
With 17 games left on Los Angeles’ schedule, Betts has plenty of time to hit the 40-home run mark, the first by an MLB player 5-foot-9 or shorter since Dodgers Hall of Famer Roy Campanella did in 1953 — 50 years ago.
