After five years with the Boston Red Sox, Mookie Betts joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 without imagining the love affair he was going to have with the team and the fans in Los Angeles. In addition to earning regular playing time, he won the hearts of the people. He built a love affair with the Los Angeles environment.
After winning the World Series in the 2025 season against the Blue Jays, the shortstop opened up about his feelings toward the organization, the fans and the city in general.
I love being a Dodger. I love the city of Los Angeles
With those words, he ended up shouldering the fans. He is currently enjoying a moment that seemed unthinkable in February 2020 when the Red Sox got rid of him by sending him to the Dodgers in exchange for Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs.
He gained much more than he thought with that trade. Betts arrived in Los Angeles to immediately establish himself with an outstanding campaign. He batted .292 with 16 home runs and was instrumental in the World Series triumph that ended a 32-year drought without the fall crown.
He reaffirmed his good form and play in the 2022 season with 35 home runs, a figure he raised to 39 in 2023. Perhaps his “weakest” moment with the team was in 2024 as a result of a hand injury that prevented him from being consistent, although he was able to celebrate his second championship. This year he recovered completely and achieved the two-time championship with the Dodgers.
The next campaign will surpass the time he spent in Boston. He has won three titles, signed a $365 million contract through 2032 and is shaping up to be a Hall of Famer. He is 33 years old, has four World Series titles, eight All-Star selections and six Gold Gloves.
His record is balanced by the affection people have for him. Betts responds on and off the field. He is identified as a 100 percent Los Angeles person, a symbol of identity and belonging. He is on his way to becoming a legend in the organization and the city.
It still hurts in Boston
Red Sox fans watched him grow from when he was selected in the second round of the 2014 draft to become MVP. That’s why it hurt them that he openly expressed his love for Los Angeles. In Boston, they remember that he won his first championship ring in 2018 against the team he now loves and his MVP trophy.
They also regret that the organization made the decision to part with Betts when it was clear that he was shaping up to be a generational talent with excellent results and a high level of competitiveness.
Boston’s then-general manager Chaim Bloom reflected on that move that changed both franchises. He clarified that the decision “wasn’t about the value of the talent. It was about where the organization was.” Financial scope, roster structure and manageability were key factors.
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