In a move that would have been unthinkable in seasons past, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the difficult decision to bench Mookie Betts for Saturday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The move wasn’t about matchups or getting a rest day — it was about giving one of baseball’s most popular superstars a chance to reset during one of the worst offensive stretches of his career.
“Talking to him, seeing where his head is at, seeing where he’s at mechanically, I just thought tonight was a night where I felt he needed to be down,” Roberts explained.
The skipper emphasized that this decision came after seeing Mookie’s frustration lingering from before the All-Star break into Friday night’s loss.
The Numbers Tell a Troubling Story
The offensive statistics paint a picture that feels almost unbelievable for Betts. Through 90 games this season, he’s slashing .241/.311/.377 with just 11 home runs — numbers that represent his worst full-season performance since his rookie year. His .688 OPS ranked better than only Michael Conforto among the team’s qualified hitters, a stunning reality for a former MVP.
Perhaps most telling is that this year marked the first time since 2015 that Betts reached the All-Star break healthy without earning an invitation to the game. For a player who has been the epitome of excellence, sitting out the Midsummer Classic while healthy represents an unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory.
Everything That Could Go Wrong
This situation isn’t simply a case of a player going through a rough patch. Betts has dealt with various factors that began before the season even started. A severe stomach illness during spring training caused him to lose 18 pounds and miss crucial preparation time, including the team’s season-opening series in Tokyo. While he regained the weight quickly, the timing couldn’t have been worse for establishing his rhythm.
Add to that a fractured toe on his left foot suffered in a freak accident at home in June, plus the challenge of playing shortstop full-time for the first time in his career at age 32. While Betts and the organization have consistently denied any correlation between his defensive switch and offensive struggles, his recent admission of uncertainty suggests the question isn’t entirely settled.
Between the Lines
What makes Mookie’s situation particularly compelling is how he’s handling it mentally. “You get so lost in it,” Betts said. “Once you get down so far, up is so high that you just don’t even care about it anymore.”
It’s an honest assessment of a player who has built his reputation on high productivity and consistency.
Yet there’s something admirable in his approach to the struggle. Despite the frustration of going hitless in recent games, Betts has maintained his legendary work ethic, spending countless hours in batting cages both at Dodger Stadium and at a facility near his Nashville home during the All-Star break.
Looking Ahead
This reset might not be limited to just one night. When asked about Betts’ return, Roberts was somewhat vague: “I don’t know how long it’s going to be. It could be one night. It could be two.”
While he expects Betts back soon, he made it clear this will be evaluated day-to-day based on where the shortstop is mentally.
The team’s faith in Betts remains unwavering. They’ve kept him in the second spot in the batting order throughout this struggle, and Roberts expects him to return there when he’s back in the lineup. It’s a show of confidence that speaks to Mookie’s track record and the organization’s belief in his capabilities moving forward.
For a player who has never experienced such a long slump, the journey back to being highly productive represents uncharted territory. But if anyone can navigate through it, it’s Betts — a player whose greatest strength has always been his ability to adapt and overcome.