Mookie Betts Talks 2023 Dodgers, ‘We Have Fun Playing the Game’
After another series win against the San Diego Padres, Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts had a lot to say about his team’s performance in not just the weekend’s matchups with the Padres but the overall season.
In addressing the media after Monday’s comeback victory, Betts alluded to a team-wide mentality to stay persistent and to play with joy.
“We just don’t give up. We have to play all nine innings. Anything can happen at any given time, and we all know that. We’ve been around for a while, and the young guys are kind of taking to it. We have fun. That’s the main thing. We have fun playing the game.”
via Juan Toribio, MLB.com
Betts himself has had many moments to smile about this year and added another in Monday afternoon’s contest on the road in San Diego.
After falling behind 5-0 in the third inning off of Tony Gonsolin’s disaster inning, the Dodgers climbed back out of the hole to set up Mookie Betts with the bases juiced and one gone in the top half of the fourth.
With a green light on a 3-0 count, Betts belted a fastball down the middle from Seth Lugo and gave Padre fans in left a souvenir by completing a comeback and hanging eight runs on the home team in the frame.
The massive fourth inning was an insane rally that Lugo himself had many thoughts on after the game, and one that led to LA eventually scoring 13 unanswered runs after being down by 5 early in the afternoon.
It’s been another monster season for the usual Gold Glove right fielder who’s been moving to second base and shortstop due to injuries and depth issues for LA early in the year.
Such versatility on defense pairs with Betts’ best full offseason in Dodger blue since joining in the 2020 offseason from the Boston Red Sox via trade.
On pace for a career high in home runs, the grand slam earlier this week was Betts’ fifth from the leadoff spot in his career and marked the Dodgers’ 11th on the season all told.
Betts and the rest of his Dodger teammates having this much has been equally fun for us and the rest of the fans at the Chavez Ravine to witness, and we can’t wait to see how he keeps the good times rolling.
Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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