Concern is mounting for the Los Angeles Dodgers as Mookie Betts is going through one of the worst slumps of his career. The player is hitting just .238/.309/.370 this season, a significant drop-off for a player of his caliber. The situation came to a head last Friday, when Betts was unexpectedly pulled from the lineup for a “personal matter,” which set off alarm bells and created uncertainty about his status.
Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Betts was in Nashville and that he was expected to return for the game, although he did not guarantee his immediate presence in the lineup. This absence adds to a series of challenges that have marked Betts’ season, from significant weight loss due to stomach illness, the development of “bad habits” in his swing from trying to regain strength, to a fractured toe.
A losing streak that seems to have no end
Betts’ slump intensified in June, reaching a critical point with a .188 average and an OPS of just .527 in his last 32 games. This slump led Dave Roberts to make the unusual decision to give Betts a “mental break” to take the pressure off his return.
Despite his return as leadoff hitter, the problem persisted. Shortly before the series against Boston, Roberts hinted that Betts was dealing with other types of problems. “There might be some things going on where he’s not around, that he has to deal with personally,” he explained at a press conference.
Mookie Betts’ lament
The data does not lie: his bat exit velocity (88.3 mph), his hard hit rate (34.1%) and his barrel percentage (5.5%) are at career lows. “Things I used to do to get back on track just don’t work anymore. So that’s what makes it difficult. Looking for new experiences, new signals, new things. Trying to find the right answers,” the player explained at the time in a press conference.
Despite the poor run of form of their star, the Dodgers have faith. They did not add any players in his absence on Friday and managed a 5-2 victory over the Red Sox, with an offense that produced runs without the need for home runs. Betts’ situation is not the best, but both he and his team hope to reverse the situation and that he will once again be the figure he was.
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