Will We Ever See Mookie Betts in a Dodger Uniform?

Let’s face it, there isn’t a Dodger fan on the planet who wasn’t very much looking forward to seeing outfielder Mookie Betts in a Dodger uniform during the 2020 regular season … not one. After all, at only 27 years old and in only six major league seasons, all the Nashville, TN native and fifth-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2011 out of Overton High School in Nashville has accomplished is:

  • 2018 AL MVP
  • Four-time All-Star
  • 2018 World Series champion
  • Four-time Gold Glove winner
  • Three-time Silver Slugger winner
  • 2018 MLB Batting Title
  • 2018 MLB Player of the Year
  • 2018 Wilson Overall Defensive Player of the Year

In the simplest of terms, Mookie Betts could very well be the next Mike Trout, for which the Dodgers will pay him a hefty $27 million for the 2020 season.

In his eight Spring Trainings games, Betts went 5-for-21 (.238) with one double, one RBI, two runs scored, one stolen base, one walk, and no strikeouts. By every indication, he was beginning to heat up at exactly the right time for the rapidly approaching 2020 regular season.

And then the coronavirus struck.

Betts was just beginning to heat up when the coronavirus forced the cancelation of Spring Training and put the entire 2020 regular season in jeopardy. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

Although there is still a chance that Major League Baseball will get in the 2020 regular season in some form or fashion, there is a far greater chance they will not; which, of course, means that Dodger fans may never get to see Betts play even one regular-season game in a Dodger uniform.

…or will they?

As every baseball fan worth their salt knows, Betts becomes a free agent at the conclusion of the 2020 season. However, and this is a BIG however, it has been suggested by several of our country’s top baseball writers that given the current unprecedented world situation, and given the fact that Betts has made it very clear that he wants to play for a legitimate World Series contender, he might… just might be willing to forgo his full free agent status in 2021 and agree to another hefty one-year extension to remain with the Dodgers – a definite legitimate World Series contender even without him.

Betts has also made it known that he very much wants to play with guys named Clayton Kershaw, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Justin Turner, and Corey Seager, just to name a few.

A World Series-contending team indeed.

Stay tuned…

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7 Responses to “Will We Ever See Mookie Betts in a Dodger Uniform?”

  1. @Dodgers Great article! Moo-kie! Moo-kie! We shall see…I’m hopeful though. https://t.co/KvJ8njTrF3

  2. Bob says:

    Well. . . . If he wants it, and the Dodgers want it, I see no reason it shouldn’t happen.
    As long as they’re doing it they may as well make it for a lot of years though.

  3. jalex says:

    not one? here’s one. not sure Betts is any more of a MVP or WS champ than Altuve. both of those guys should probably send their awards to AC13. he has also made it known that he wants 400M. he already has a ring, so why would he forego that kind of money for another? risk an injury that costs him hundreds of millions of dollars or worse, show the world that without boston’s cheating ways, he’s actually a .238 hitter? i dont think so. it was an awful trade before the season was shut down, it’s horrific if we dont get a season out of him. the guy has been historically awful in the PS, which was the LAST thing we needed to add to this team. the Dodgers wouldn’t pay Price his price because we all know these guys are not the same in the back half of a deal so what did they do? they got him for the back half without the benefit of the front half. less money? sure, but they traded WAY too much talent for these two while blocking some very talented young arms from the rotation. i recognize the need to trade talent on occasion and i’ve been quite supportive of the vast majority of the FO moves the last few years, but this one is going to smell like dead fish for years to come.

    • Ron Cervenka says:

      I’m going to run on the assumption that you never had an opportunity to see how Betts was received and how he interacted with his teammates in the Dodgers Spring Training clubhouse. To the man, they absolutely love him.

      • jalex says:

        you know who I absolutely loveD? a light hitting infielder who never quit. i was there the night he slid head first into second and had to be removed by ambulance and i was there the night he used 18 pitches to homer into the visitor’s pen. i watched him turn double plays and fully extend to catch foul balls up both lines. now that jerk is dead to me as is everything he’s tainted. including two WS champs and the two MVPs from those respective teams.

    • Bob says:

      I’ve had similar thoughts regarding the cheating investigation, but I’m left with one big question. Why is it that no report has been released on the Sox yet? They announced a date which has long since passed but nothing.
      Could it be that they have little or nothing to report? The delay must be something that doesn’t include the word “virus”.
      Consider this: Everybody not in Houston believes the A-holes deserved worse than they got. Could it be that the Sox transgressions are so far less that they can’t figure a punishment comparable.
      I’m not looking for an argument. The whole thing just seems strange to me.

  4. Daniel says:

    If no games are played and the player’s still get paid maybe the rosters should be frozen so teams get to go into next season with the same players they expected to have this year. Obviously this leaves many possibilities and options open for consideration. But it’s just something to think about as you look out the window and wish you had something better to do!

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