Dodgers: Mookie Betts Skips All-Star Game, Keeps Eye on Another World Series Title
For Mookie Betts, it hasn’t been the year he envisioned after coming in second place in NL MVP voting in 2020. Notably, the Dodgers All-Star slugger has admitted that his season thus far has been bad. Still, his numbers were enough to garner him an All-Star selection by his peers in 2021.
Despite the nod, Betts said on Saturday that he would not participate in the game on Tuesday. His reasoning? Everything hurts… (I’m embellishing, obviously).
“Just some nagging things that I think a little time off would definitely help … I think it’s just something that I think is going to be best for myself, which in turn is going to help the team. What the decision really is about is just myself and the Dodgers.”
Markus Lynn Betts is absolutely a team-first kind of player. With that, he gets that while an All-Star Game would be fun, winning back-to-back World Series titles would be better.
“There’s just no break in baseball, and this is the only time I’ll ever get a break of more than a day. I just want to use it to the best that I can. I would love to be in the All-Star Game, but I think we all know that the goal is to win a World Series. I think this break will definitely help me to help us get to that point.”
Related: Justin Turner and Walker Buehler Added to the NL All-Star Team
All throughout the season, the outfielder has dealt with a myriad of nagging injuries. From his neck to his back… to dings and bruises from getting hit by pitch 8 different times in 78 games this season. But he’s stayed in the lineup as much as he can, much to the chagrin of manager Dave Roberts at times.
“He’s always going to downplay the physical toll that it’s been on him this year, which I appreciate,” Roberts said.” But I know what’s been going on under the hood.”
The Dodgers play one more game against the Diamondbacks this afternoon before taking a 4 day hiatus. The season resumes on Friday, July 16 in Colorado against the Rockies.
NEXT: What’s Wrong With Cody Bellinger’s Swing in 2021?
Mookie doesn’t look the same. Missed catching that home run ball the other night and doesn’t hustle down the line to first when running out hits. Interesting though, none of the A$$stros players are showing up to the all star game. Might be a little uncomfortable in the clubhouse or getting booed on the field or both??? Chickensh!t players. They know they’ve done wrong.
The Astros also know Manfred is on their side and didn’t punish a single player. Manfred needs to be impeached!.
did not hear that about the stros. interesting. glad Mookie is taking the 4 days off to help get over his injuries: we need him to repeat!!
Just really not sure about what’s going on with Mookie this season ? Agree with Dodgerglenn that Mook just doesn’t seem to have that fire or spark, with his talent his numbers should be a whole lot better than they are ! Hopefully he’ll find something over the break but that goes for others too ! I just don’t understand this season at all, for me the team has been so inconsistent they should be up in the division not down. Even the Padres with their talent, saw the other day they were 4 games behind ? But I will always be a Dodger fan, that is the only baseball team for me win or lose ! Go Dodgers
To understand this season you only need to know 1 word: injuries!! Dodgers will be fine when they get everyone healthy. Corey Seager one of their best players has been out for 6 weeks or so. Yet Dodgers remain only 2 games out of first behind the gnats! Get Corey back, get past the Bauer issue and add a 5th starter and we should be good, not to mention getting a few other injured relievers back in the fold also
Mookie looking like Mookie last two days. Hopefully he’s healthy for the stretch run. He’s the straw that stirs the drink. Him being himself and Bellinger being gone would be a good recipe for success.
The toughest part of the job is a lot of travel. Our time zone and theirs. Everything hurts is adjusting pains. we only have a couple more months, not long really. Make it all worth it and lead us to another championship