Mookie Betts Breaks Out of Postseason Slump With Massive Home Run for Dodgers

Jurickson Profar couldn’t catch this one.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts broke out of his 0-for-22 postseason slump with a solo home run in the first inning of Game 3 of the 2024 NLDS. Profar jumped over the left field wall to try to catch it, but couldn’t bring it down. Here’s a video of the play:

It was copy-and-paste from the first inning of Game 2, but this time, Profar wasn’t able to make the catch, and Betts rounded the bases safely and soundly to score the first run for Los Angeles.

On Sunday, Betts lifted the first pitch from Yu Darvish deep to left field. Profar pursued the ball to the short fence in left field, extended his left arm into the second row of the seating area, and somehow caught the ball, fooling everyone into thinking he didn’t.

“That was one of my wishes all the time: I want to rob a homer. And I did it in a playoff game, so it was awesome,” Profar told FS1 back in the Padres’ dugout after the first inning.

The Dodgers headed to San Diego on Monday, just a day after an embarrassing Game 2 loss on Sunday, 10-2. Betts’ last three postseason appearances have not been pretty. Prior to that first-inning home run, Betts was 0-for-his-last-22 postseason at-bats. He admitted on Monday that it was impossible not to think about it.

Read more: Dodgers Star Mookie Betts Admits It’s Impossible to Not Think About Postseason Slump

“Especially – you guys are doing your jobs but you’re asking me about it. So there’s no way to get away from it,” Betts said after Monday’s workout. “The whole world knows. It’s not like it’s a secret. I know. Nobody’s telling me anything I don’t know already. Nobody can be any harder on myself. Only thing I can really do is look forward but I know it’s there.

“I’m a human. I’m living it. Nobody’s telling me anything I haven’t already seen and know. I’m trying, man. That’s all I can say.”

The regular season and postseason have been night and day for the two-time World Series champion. Still, the hope is that home run gives him and the team confidence to beat the division rivals and get revenge from the 2022 National League Division Series.

Tuesday’s first inning was a great start.

Photo Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images