PHOENIX — With the Los Angeles Dodgers down two runs in the eighth inning earlier this month, Mookie Betts stood at first base and saw an opportunity. The New York Mets had just deployed their closer, Edwin Díaz, to take down the heart of the Dodgers order. Sensing Díaz might open Shohei Ohtani with a breaking ball, Betts took off for second, beating Tomás Nido’s throw from behind the plate by so much that he overran the bag for a half-second.
The threat did not culminate in a Dodgers victory, but his second stolen base of the day represented a conscious effort for Betts. He stole another base five days later, also in the eighth inning, getting into scoring position and scoring the go-ahead run two batters later in a 2-1 win over the Washington Nationals. He’d steal bases each of the next two days, too.
This is no accident. There are chances out there to swipe bags, especially with the rules changes that increased stolen base rates across the game last season. Betts has wreaked havoc in games before on the bases and he’s still capable of making an impact there.
“Just trying to be the best Mookie Betts I can be,” Betts said. “That’s pretty much it. I’m just trying to be the best player I can be. I used to do it. Just … just stopped. I don’t know why. Just stopped, and now I’m back on it.”
Mookie Betts has eight stolen bases without being caught and has no plans to slow down. (John E. Sokolowski / USA Today)
Back on it, indeed. Betts has already stolen eight bases (without being caught) through the Dodgers’ first 30 games, putting him on a pace for 43 steals, well clear of his career-best 30 in his MVP 2018 season. That pace “sounds like a lot,” Betts said, but even if he doesn’t hit that lofty mark, it’s still shaping up as a stark jump for a guy who admitted he shelved some of his aggression in stealing bases in recent seasons. His 14 last year, the first under the new rules implemented cutting down the number of pickoffs and increasing the size of the bases, marked his most in a Dodgers uniform.
Betts isn’t sure why he stopped. Hip problems made running painful in 2021 when he stole just 10. That discomfort went away in the following years, though, and he never quite revved things back up.
“I just wasn’t running, thinking about staying healthy,” Betts said. “Hell, I don’t know. … I’m a new person.”
Posit whatever theory you want for Betts’ renewed sense of freedom. He nearly won another MVP last season, and credited, in part, his personal growth on and off the diamond. Given the opportunity to not just play the infield full-time again, but play shortstop again on a regular basis for the first time since he was a teen, he’s found youthful energy.
“I’m just in a lot better place mentally, physically, spiritually, everywhere,” Betts continued. “I don’t know man, I’m just playing.”
It’s paying off. Betts entered Monday as a top-10 base runner in the sport in FanGraphs’ all-encompassing base-running metric (BsR), which includes stolen bases. He’s turned heads, including that of his manager.
“On every facet of the game, Mookie’s playing MVP-caliber baseball,” Dave Roberts said.
He mentioned something Betts has brought up plenty over the last couple of years. Playing right field every day took a toll on him, with Betts, in particular, making a note of the jog from the third-base dugout at Dodger Stadium out to right field rather than the shorter one he makes now every day playing on the dirt.
That, in some ways, sapped Betts’ desire to run. Now, he’s freed up to be the “dynamic” presence that Roberts said he can be atop the order.
That group has largely delivered. Betts has gotten on base at the highest rate in the sport (.482 on-base percentage entering Monday) with the three hitters behind him in the Dodgers order — Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith — all within the top 15 for OBP. It’s generated more and more chances to drive in runs and for Betts to spark excitement.
“I’m just doing what I can to help us win, and that’s part of the game that I just haven’t done the last couple years,” Betts said. “That’s always been a part of my game. So just trying to be the best version, well-rounded, and do whatever it takes to win.”
(Photo of Mookie Betts: John E. Sokolowski / USA Today)
