Dodgers News: Mookie Betts Takes Pride in Responsibilities of Being a Leadoff Hitter
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night and it was business as usual for LA star Mookie Betts, who went 3-for-4 from his familiar leadoff spot in the win.
That leadoff spot is familiar territory for Betts — he’s played all but one game this season in that role and has been the team’s primary leadoff hitter since being traded to the Dodgers in 2020.
As is usual for the superstar, he’s done well at the plate this season, but this is arguably his most impactful season in LA, as he has a .973 OPS with 31 home runs this year.
But more importantly for a leadoff man specifically is his .393 on-base percentage — and his 10 homers when leading off a game help, too.
All in all, the leadoff role is one that Betts is again succeeding in, and it’s a role he takes pride in doing well in, as he told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and the rest of the media after the Dodgers’ Wednesday win.
“You really need a couple guys atop the lineup to get teams rolling,” said Betts. “If it’s not me, it’s Freddie. If it’s not Freddie, it’s me. Sometimes it’s both of us. I think we both take ownership of getting us going.”
via the Orange County Register
The Dodgers are set up extremely well at the top of the lineup, with both Betts and Freddie Freeman putting up MVP-caliber seasons. And as long as they keep up what they’ve been doing, their success should lead LA to team-wide success of their own.
The duo is showing absolutely no signs of hitting a wall either, as Betts has a 1.056 OPS over his last two weeks, while Freeman has a .958 mark with six doubles over that time period. And about those two-baggers, Freeman’s hitting them at an incredible rate if you hadn’t noticed.
So all in all, things are going pretty well for Los Angeles and their tablesetters at the top of the order.
And with the Dodgers now up double digits in the NL West as September approaches, LA has the division essentially wrapped up and look very much like contenders come the postseason — with Betts and Co. leading the charge.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
