Dodgers Superstar Mookie Betts Named Finalist For 2 Major End of Year Awards

Players Association recognizes Betts' brilliant season.

Mookie Betts took his game to a whole new level this regular season.

Not only did he continue hitting in the leadoff spot for the entire year, but he was asked to play a lot more infield than he ever has in his Major League career.

Mookie stepped up to the plate ending his year hitting .307 with a .987 OPS along with a career-high 39 home runs and 107 RBIs.

Now, Mookie is being recognized for his incredible year by being named a finalist for the MLBPA's Players Choice Awards for Player of the Year and NL Outstanding Player.

The 2023 #PlayersChoiceAwards Finalists 🍿👀 pic.twitter.com/zmjm0ZLOg4

— MLBPA (@MLBPA) October 17, 2023

In Betts' 10th MLB season, he was asked to learn a new position and refamiliarise himself with an old one.

Mookie played in 151 games this season starting in the field. Of those, 77 of them came in right field, the position he has made a Hall of Fame career at, winning AL MVP in 2018 and winning countless Gold Gloves.

However, in 62 of the games this year, Betts started at second base. He actually came up through the minor leagues as a second baseman but ended up making a career in the outfield.

Before this year, Betts had only started 25 games at second base in the MLB. He ended up playing almost a half season's worth at second, and even took up a new position, playing a handful of games at shortstop.

The versatility of Betts in the field opened up the outfield for players like David Peralta and Jason Heyward to get regular, almost every day, spots in the lineup.

Betts this year was the ultimate team player this year letting these first-year Dodgers get more reps.

He even reunited with his old field J.D. Martinez and was able to retool his swing before the season in hopes to start generating more power, which showed with him hitting 39 home runs.

Betts is the last person to care about personal awards but it is a great honor that he is being recognized by the Players Association for his incredible year.