Mookie Betts, Outfield, Los Angeles Dodgers


Date of Birth: 10/7/1992
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee

Mookie Betts, outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, signed with the Boston Red Sox for $750,000 in 2011. He played in Boston's minor league system from 2011 through part of 2014. In 298 games, he batted .315 with 352 hits, 163 RBIs, 92 stolen bases, and 137 strikeouts to 174 walks. Defensively, as a second baseman in 230 games, he made 624 assists, 147 double plays, 483 putouts, and 32 errors.

Betts joined the Red Sox for 52 games in 2014. During that time, he batted .291 with 55 hits, 12 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, and 7 stolen bases. Defensively, he played 14 games at second base, 28 games in center field, and 12 games in right field.

In 2015, his first full season in the major leagues, Betts batted .291 with 174 hits, 42 doubles, 18 home runs, 21 stolen bases, and 77 RBIs in 145 games. As a center fielder, he made 335 putouts and 4 errors in 133 games.

Betts had an outstanding year in 2016, batting .318 in 158 games. He had 214 hits, 42 doubles, 31 home runs, 26 stolen bases, and 113 RBIs. He didn't fare as well in the postseason, batting just .200 with 2 hits in 10 at-bats in 3 games. Defensively, as Boston's right fielder in the regular season, he made 346 putouts and just 1 error in 157 games. Those numbers along with a .997 fielding percentage earned him his first Gold Glove.

Betts won his first Silver Slugger award in 2016. He also won the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award.

Betts finished the 2017 season with 166 hits, 46 doubles, 24 home runs, 26 stolen bases, 102 RBIs, and a .264 batting average in 153 games. He walked almost as many times as he struck out (77 walks to 79 strikeouts). Defensively, he had a good season, winning his second consecutive Gold Glove. As Boston's right fielder in 153 games, he made 366 putouts and 5 errors and he had a fielding percentage of .987.

Betts had an outstanding season in 2018. He was named the AL MVP and he won his second Silver Slugger award and his third Gold Glove. He led all major league players in batting average with .346 and in slugging percentage with .640. He was second behind Mike Trout in on-base percentage (.438) and OPS (1.078). He finished the season with 180 hits, 47 doubles, 32 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and 80 RBIs in 136 games. He walked 81 times and struck out 91 times. Defensively, as a right fielder in 120 games, he made 241 putouts and 1 error and he had a .996 fielding percentage. He didn't play as well, however, in the postseason. In 62 at-bats in 14 games, he had 13 hits, 4 doubles, 1 home run, 1 stolen base, 4 RBIs, and a .210 batting average. He struck out 12 times and walked 7 times.

Betts had another good season in 2019, winning his third Silver Slugger award and finishing with a .295 batting average in 150 games. He had 176 hits, 40 doubles, 29 home runs, 16 stolen bases, 80 RBIs, and 101 strikeouts to 97 walks. He also played well defensively and he won a Gold Glove as a right fielder. In 132 games, he made 274 putouts and 1 error and he had a .996 fielding percentage.

The Red Sox traded Betts to the Dodgers on February 10, 2020. He played well in the shortened 2020 season, winning his fourth Silver Slugger award and his fifth Gold Glove. In 55 games, he batted .292 with 64 hits, 9 doubles, 16 home runs, 39 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and 38 strikeouts to 24 walks. Defensively, he played 1 game at second base, 1 games in center field, and 52 games in right field. In the postseason, he batted .296 with 21 hits, 8 doubles, 2 home runs, and 8 RBIs in 71 at-bats in 18 games.

Betts spent time on the IL in 2021 with right hip inflammation. He finished the season with 123 hits, 29 doubles, 23 home runs, 58 RBIs, 86 strikeouts to 68 walks, and a .264 batting average in 122 games. In the postseason, he had 15 hits, 1 home run, 1 double, and 5 RBIs in 47 at-bats in 12 games.

Career batting statistics for Betts through 2021 include:

  • 971 games played
  • 1,152 hits
  • 267 doubles
  • 178 home runs
  • 146 stolen bases
  • 567 RBIs
  • 588 strikeouts to 463 walks
  • .296 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Betts as a right fielder through 2021 include:

  • 735 games played
  • 1,534 putouts
  • 16 errors
  • .990 fielding percentage

Personal Life

Betts' uncle, Terry Shumpert, played in the major leagues from 1990 through 2003.

Betts' parents deliberately named him Marcus Lynn Betts so that his initials would be MLB.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Mookie Betts
ESPN - Mookie Betts
Baseball Reference - Mookie Betts