Former Red Sox Star Mookie Betts Reveals Future Retirement Plan
He's not going anywhere just yet
Although he intends to keep playing for a while, Mookie Betts has mapped out when he aims to step away.
Betts revealed on “What Drives You with John Cena” that he “for sure” plans to retire when his current contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers expires after the 2032 season. The former Boston Red Sox superstar wants to devote more time to his family.
“I’ll be 40, my little girl will be 14, my son will be 10,” Betts told Cena, via MLB.com’s Brent Maguire. “My parents were always there, and I want do that same thing for my kids.”
That gives Betts seven more seasons before he walks away. By then, the eight-time All-Star could lock down his Hall of Fame candidacy.
Betts won four straight Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards with the Red Sox from 2016 to 2019 before getting traded to the Dodgers. The 2018 American League MVP and World Series champion has won three more rings with his new club, including in each of the last two seasons.
Although he had a down year at the plate, posting a career-low .732 OPS, Betts still registered a 4.9 rWAR as a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop. He began playing the position full-time in his 12th season.
Betts could collect his 300th career home run and 200th stolen base during the 2026 season. His Dodgers are a threat to three-peat after adding Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz to an already stacked roster.
A lot can change over the next seven years, but Betts acknowledged to Cena that concluding his playing career won’t be easy.
“Towards the end, it’s probably going to suck,” Betts said. “For a while, it’s kind of what has defined me. There’s no way for me to substitute going into the locker room, being on a plane and developing relationships with so many people for 20 to 30 years.”
