Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is on the cusp of his ninth All-Star selection, though this one could be his most controversial yet.
Betts started slowly but has heated up at the plate in recent games, including homers in three of his last five.
Before that, though, Betts spent much of the year with his batting average mired around the .200 mark.
It didn’t help, of course, that he missed multiple weeks early in the season with a strained oblique.
That left many around the baseball world wondering why Betts was a Phase 2 finalist for the Midsummer Classic this year, but as detailed by MLB.com’s Sonja Chen, those critics are missing a vital piece of the puzzle.
Mookie Betts’ overlooked excellence
In Phase 2, Betts is going head-to-head with CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals for the starting shortstop spot.
Abrams is having a much stronger offensive season. He has 17 home runs, 57 RBIs and is slashing .275/.358/.507/.865.
Compare that to Betts, who has 11 homers and 27 RBIs, as well as a slash line of .236/.296/.441/.737.
So on its face, Abrams would be the clear-cut favorite.
But baseball isn’t just a hitting game, and on defense is where Betts shines.
“Betts (+4 OAA) has also been the superior defender at shortstop over Abrams (-9 OAA), which could make this race closer than it would seem,” Chen wrote.
What’s even more impressive is that this is only his second season at shortstop, and he’s been making game-changing plays like the World Series-winning double play last year and secured a win over the San Diego Padres with another double play on Sunday.
With his recent hot streak, Betts’ offensive play is rising to meet his defense.
What changed at the plate for Mookie Betts?
Betts, who recently hit his 300th career home run, said his recent successes are building upon each other.
“It’s like Steph (Curry),” Betts said, as reported by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. “You just need to see a ball go through the rim.”
Over his last 14 games, Betts has five homers, 10 RBIs and a .368 average. He’s also slugging .684 and has an OPS of 1.103.
With his defense remaining elite — he’s in the 90th percentile, per Baseball Savant — and his offense improving rapidly, Betts is no longer an All-Star candidate based on his career accomplishments.
So don’t be surprised if Betts starts the Midsummer Classic. He’s earning it on the field.
