Dodgers News: Mookie Betts May Have Just Locked Up the NL MVP with a New MLB Record
I showed up a bit late to my first Dodger game, thanks to the abysmal traffic that clogs up Stadium Way on game days. As I walked to the entrance, I heard the crowd roar. I pulled out my phone and checked the score, and of course, Mookie Betts had led the game off with a home run.
The race for the Most Valuable Player award in the National League has been a tight one, although Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. is an overwhelming favorite according to sportsbooks.
While Acuna has had a historic season, becoming just the fifth player to reach 40 stolen bases and 40 home runs in the same season (Acuna has 68 stolen bases), Dodgers outfielder and occasional second basemen Mookie Betts has done everything to make his case for his second MVP award, having won the AL MVP in 2018 with the Red Sox.
Betts ranks in the top ten of the following categories: batting average (.309, eighth in MLB), home runs (39, sixth in MLB), RBIs (105, t-fifth in MLB), OPS (1.003, fourth in MLB), doubles (40, fourth in MLB) among others. He has shown his ability to play multiple positions and remain an elite defender. And on Saturday, Betts continued to show his unique ability to dominate out of the leadoff spot.
Betts now has the most RBIs out of the leadoff spot in a single season with 105, continuing his stellar career-long performance hitting at the top of the order.
The 30-year-old just needs one more home run to set the record for the most homers from the leadoff spot in a single season, furthering the argument that Betts deserves a significant argument in the NL MVP conversation.
“It seems like every night we’re eclipsing milestones as individuals. Mookie’s season is near unprecedented,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
(Via SportsNet LA)
And he has eight more games to add to his unprecedented season.
Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Congratulations to Mookie for most RBIs out of the leadoff spot.
That makes an MVP in 2023? Maybe in another year it does, but
Ronald is the 5th member of the 40/40 club in all of baseball history . . . and he’ll likely have 40+/70+.
In other words, Ronald is already in a league of his own, and it’ll probably only get better from here until the end of the season.
Ronald 143 runs (leads majors)
Mookie 125 runs
Ronald 209 hits (leads majors)
Mookie 173 hits
Ronald 68 stolen bases (leads majors)
Mookie 13 stolen bases
All of this equals Ronald MVP Acuna, Jr, in 2023!
If Mookie Betts can hit one more homerun to set the leadoff record with 40 he definitely deserves the MVP over Acuna. The only problem is that Acuna already has 40 so by your logic Acuna might have already won the award. It’s great to be a fan but when you’re too nuch of a home that you become ignorant It’s embarrassing and annoying
You must be kidding me!! Mookie Betts will be a very distant 2nd in the MVP voting!! It’s not even close. Acuna has the best numbers by any hitter this year!!
It’s not just about hitting Frank. The difference between Mookie’s defensive value and Acuna’s defensive value is miles bigger than the difference between Acuna’s hitting value and Mookie’s hitting value.
And the reason they’re saying this is because Braves fans have been throwing a fit all year about how Acuna setting a record automatically makes him the MVP. Them saying Mookie is the MVP because he set a record is pure sarcasm and making fun of whinny Braves fans like yourself.
Pulling for Mookie.
Btw Freeman also looks amazing, especially with his power/speed combination on top of his high batting average.
You do know that Acuna is the land off hitter for the Braves right? And he has already hit 40 HRs to lead that category?
What a homer… pun intended
He hit a double not a home run. I wish it was a homer. I’d like to see Mookie as the MVP.
Playing 2nd. SS, and right field has to count for more than stolen bases in this runner friendly season.
There is also a big stature difference in the 2. Go Mookie! Go Dodgers!!!
So in a runner friendly season your lead off hitter has 13 stolen bases and you discount 67 because it’s EASIER? Acuna is the MVP especially after watching what he did in the 3 game series after everyone had Betts as the favorite…guessing since the AL MVP is a runaway we need to at least make the NL award LOOK close
I like Mookie but Acuna is the MVP.
Hilarious article, I think he just made the case for Acuna as he leads Mookie in many of those categories.
Historic would be 40 HRs, 68 stolen bases!
I’m wondering how many more MVP articles can we squeeze into the last week of baseball? We’re looking a baseball all wrong when the MVP award hype obscures the other stories: the juggernauts of Freeman/Olsen, Betts/Acuna – top 4 in OPS in the NL. – How the Dodgers/Braves stack up (hitting/pitching/fielding? – The classic ‘what if’ for GM decisions, e.g., Justin Turner/Cody Bellinger – Does the strategy of keeping glass arms actually benefit LA? e.g., May/Buehler/Treinen/Nelson – Are the LA GM’s & Doc building a team to compete in the postseason or just constantly limping thru another pennant again – the team’s biggest weakness going into the postseason…