Mookie Betts was named the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2025 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which is baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for Major Leaguers.
The Roberto Clemente Award is presented annually in recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
As part of the annual award, each team nominates one player to be considered for the league-wide award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character.
This is Betts’ second nomination for the award, as he also was the Dodgers’ representative last season. Chris Taylor was the Dodgers’ nominee for 2023.
The Dodgers plan to honor Betts on the field prior to their game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.
Fans can now vote for the Roberto Clemente Award winner via MLBTogether.com/clementeaward (in both English and Spanish). Fan voting extends through the final day of the regular season on Sunday, Sept. 28. The winner of the fan vote will count as one vote among those cast by the blue-ribbon panel.
The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be honored at the 2025 World Series following selection by the aforementioned panel. It includes representatives from the commissioner’s office, Capital One, MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr.
Sept. 15 marks the annual Roberto Clemente Day, which MLB established to honor his legacy as a humanitarian and to formally acknowledge team nominees of the annual award
As part of the league-wide celebration, the Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on the bases and official dugout lineup cards, and a customized tribute video and the 30 award nominees will be shown in all ballparks.
In further celebration of Roberto Clemente Day, all players, manager and coaches of his former Pittsburgh Pirates team will wear No. 21 as their uniform number. Moreover, all active Roberto Clemente Award winners will have a “21” patch on the back of their caps.
Lastly, all Roberto Clemente Award nominees and previous recipients have the option to wear “21” as their uniform number, joining players from Puerto Rico.
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” The recognition was renamed to the “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 as tribute to Clemente following his passing while delivering relief supplies for earthquake victims in Nicaragua on Dec. 31, 1972.
In 2021, Betts and his wife Brianna established the 5050 Foundation, which strives to “break barriers that hold kids back from their potential, particularly those who struggle medically and financially.” The four pillars of the foundation represent the values of Betts: mental/emotional health, nutrition, financial literacy and physical fitness.
Also in 2021, “50 Feeds LA” was launched in which Betts partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) to feed citizens in South L.A. He has contributed more than $300,000 which has fed thousands over the past three holiday seasons.
In 2023, alongside LADF and the Brotherhood Crusade, Betts handed out Thanksgiving meals to 1,500 families at Algin Sutton Recreational Center in South L.A. The recreation center hosted the LADF’s third annual turkey giveaway as volunteers handed out meals, toys, and other supplies via drive thru.
To introduce 5050 Foundation to a broader audience, they launched the annual Mookie Betts + Friends Bowling Tournament in 2023. A portion of the proceeds from the 2024 event went toward field improvements at Jackie Robinson’s high school alma mater, John Muir, and included dugout renovations, outfield widescreens and other various projects to boost the quality of the field offerings.
This past January, Betts donated more than $30,000 of Nike clothing for victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Then in partnership with the LADF, Betts donated more than $160,000 to the Brother Crusade to help fight hunger and homelessness in Los Angeles.
In March, Betts served customers at a local Raising Cane’s in Alhambra, helping raise more than $100,000 for his 5050 Foundation.
Betts and the 5050 Foundation have additionally made visits to UCLA Children’s Hospital, where they created the “Betts on Us Fund” for the purpose of helping families of pediatric patients in need of financial assistance gain access to adequate healthcare support.
The work has gone beyond Los Angeles, as Betts created “Team Mookie” in Nashville. The elite boys’ basketball and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, 16U squad clinched the EYBL Championship League Title this past May.
Betts continues to be a regular part of the Dodgers community programming where he has entertained, mentored and visited with Make-A-Wish program participants, UCLA health patients, local students and student athletes and been a staple of the annual “Dodgers Love LA Community Tour.”
2025 Roberto Clemente Award nominees
Arizona Diamondbacks – Corbin Carroll*
Athletics – Lawrence Butler*
Atlanta Braves – Spencer Strider*
Baltimore Orioles – Jordan Westburg*
Boston Red Sox – Liam Hendriks
Chicago Cubs – Kyle Tucker
Chicago White Sox – Mike Tauchman*
Cincinnati Reds – Brent Suter
Cleveland Guardians – Bo Naylor*
Colorado Rockies – Kyle Freeland
Detroit Tigers – Tarik Skubal
Houston Astros – Josh Hader*
Kansas City Royals – Bobby Witt Jr.*
Los Angeles Angels – Logan O’Hoppe*
Los Angeles Dodgers – Mookie Betts
Miami Marlins – Griffin Conine*
Milwaukee Brewers – Sal Frelick*
Minnesota Twins – Pablo López
New York Mets – Francisco Lindor
New York Yankees – Carlos Rodón*
Philadelphia Phillies – Aaron Nola
Pittsburgh Pirates – Paul Skenes*
San Diego Padres – Joe Musgrove
San Francisco Giants – Ryan Walker*
Seattle Mariners – J.P. Crawford
St. Louis Cardinals – Brendan Donovan*
Tampa Bay Rays – Pete Fairbanks*
Texas Rangers – Corey Seager*
Toronto Blue Jays – José Berríos*
Washington Nationals – Trevor Williams*
* denotes first time nominee
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