This is Mookie Betts, who everyone was hoping to see this season.
The star’s shortstop in Los Angeles had a turbulent season to say the least. He reportedly endured a strange stomach problem that he reportedly lost 20 pounds at the beginning of the season and really placed Betts behind the proverb 8 ball. As a major creature of habit, baseball players are notoriously strict in their way of preparing for a full slate of 162 games.
In the case of Betts, physical issues pounded his season completely. And we’ve seen the results. Career .291 batsman Betts saw his numbers plummet as he worked to regain strength. The spiritual sacrifice was obvious, and he seemed to be pushing at a level no one had ever seen.
Luckily for the , funk appears to be over.
Betts has been torn covers from the ball in recent weeks. He hit .342 in his last 30 games. His batting average rose by about 30 points last month. Betts also clubbed seven home runs, causing an elite .957 OPS during this stretch.
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After Wednesday’s game, manager Dave Roberts spoke specifically about the level Betts is playing. This includes his prowess as a defensive player.
“I think what that means is real confidence. There’s an edge. Just give them the ability to play,” Roberts said Wednesday. “I think we’re seeing it now at a short stop and in a batter’s box. There’s exactly that edge. He’s not in the middle for a lot of the season. So, to me, when you say Mookie looks like Mookie now, that’s what I mean.”
Defensively, Betts is a plus 16 on saved runs. He also ranks in the 87th percentile in the overall range compared to his other peers.
This is a kind of run that allows you to carry ball clubs well in October. Given that Betts is beginning to get hot, it will allow him to see a better pitch in front of him.
Some people immediately assumed that the bet could have been dropped as an elite player, but the underlying numbers, and visibly specific numbers, suggest that they are not.
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Photo credit: William Liang-Immagn Image
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