Mookie Betts knows this season has not been his personal best. He was not selected for the All-Star team for the first time since 2015 and has struggled to overcome a slump at the plate.
Betts is slashing a career-low .238/.308/.369 and recorded a .677 OPS through 107 games. The shortstop believes his offensive struggles have been around since he fractured his hand last summer.
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But now, the eight-time All-Star is shifting his focus to a more team-based approach. Rather than worry about his personal statistics and accomplishments this season, Betts wants to help the Dodgers win another World Series.
“My season’s kind of over, so I’m going to have to chalk that up for not a great season, but I can help the boys win every night,” Betts said. “Do something, get an RBI, make a play — do something. I kind of have to shift my focus there. Obviously, everyone wants to have great seasons, but it’s a lot easier when you just don’t worry about the season. You just worry about the game to game. And so I think I’ll take this perspective for the rest of my career.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Betts for taking this approach and said it is the best way to navigate the final stretch of the season.
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“That’s a good way to look at it — getting small wins and playing to win each night, contributing versus trying to chase a season where you’re not kind of realizing your career numbers,” Roberts said. “I think that is freeing, and that’s growth from him and maturity. But I do feel that’s the best way to kind of go about the last two months of the season.”
In his last five games, Betts has logged five RBIs, one home run, and one walk on top of his seven hits and six runs. Betts said he is focusing on those small offensive contributions to ultimately help the Dodgers go back-to-back.
Betts found a way to break out of his slump last postseason, and it is possible the three-time World Series champion could do it again.
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Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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Isn’t that you’re always supposed to do?