The ongoing slump of Mookie Betts has been one of the biggest questions surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.
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Betts is having the worst offensive season of his career, hitting .236 with 11 home runs, 48 runs batted and an OPS of .670. The 32-year-old has never posted an OPS lower than .803, which he recorded during the 2017 season with the Boston Red Sox.
It is no secret the Dodgers star has had a tough task this season as he made the unprecedented transition from right field to shortstop. Whether the position change has had an affect on Betts remains unclear, but he’s performed well defensively.
Betts ranks in the 74th percentile in Outs Above Average with a grade of 1, an indication he has seamlessly transformed into a big league shortstop.
But Betts’ performance at the plate has caused much concern for the Dodgers, a team that is quickly losing its once lengthy lead in the NL west. Manager Dave Roberts hoped Betts would find his rhythm batting leadoff, but the shortstop hit .148 with an OPS of .411.
It’s been a trying year for Betts as he missed the start of the campaign with a stomach illness that cause him to lose nearly 20 pounds. Betts also dealt with a fractured toe
He then missed two games in July as he was in Nashville because of the death of his stepfather.
And so, as Betts continues to search for answers, he sought the help of a former teammate during the Dodgers’ nine-game road trip earlier this month.
“J.D. Martinez traveled to aid struggling superstar Mookie Betts (88 OPS plus) at a Tampa batting cage last weekend,” Jon Heyman reported for the New York Post. “The two teamed on the World Series champion 2018 Red Sox and the 2023 Dodgers.”
Martinez was named an All-Star during his one season with LA, where he slashed .271/.321/.572 with hit 33 home runs, 103 RBIs and an .893 OPS as the team’s designated hitter.
While Martinez remains a free agent this year, the slugger took the time to work with Betts in the cage as the Dodgers star hopes to turn a corner this month.
As the Dodgers chase a consecutive World Series title, they’ll need Betts to be at his best come October.
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Photo Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
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