Mookie Betts Doing Everything He Can to Break Out of Postseason Slump for Dodgers

Maren Angus-Coombs | Oct 8, 2024

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Mookie Betts has struggled in the playoffs over the last few years, and it’s hard for the Dodgers' outfielder to ignore his current slump, which dates back to 2022.

His last postseason hit came in Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS against the Padres, a leadoff single. Since then, he’s gone 22 at-bats without a hit.

In the Dodgers’ Game 1 victory of this series, Betts managed to draw three walks, one of them intentional, but he remains hitless in six at-bats.

For Betts, moving past the slump is tough and nearly "impossible" to forget.

“Especially – you guys are doing your jobs but you’re asking me about it. So there’s no way to get away from it,” Betts said after Monday’s workout. “The whole world knows. It’s not like it’s a secret. I know. Nobody’s telling me anything I don’t know already. Nobody can be any harder on myself. Only thing I can really do is look forward but I know it’s there.

“I’m a human. I’m living it. Nobody’s telling me anything I haven’t already seen and know. I’m trying, man. That’s all I can say.”

However, Betts is doing whatever he can to break out of it.

According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Betts took 300-400 swings on Monday.

Mookie Betts took BP for a long time off velo machine during #Dodgers workout. Said he's taken 300-400 swings today. Asked if he was trying to swing his way out of his slump: "If there’s another way, please let me know."

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 8, 2024

While he hasn’t found success at the plate, Betts almost turned things around when he hit a ball deep enough to clear the fence. Unfortunately for him, Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar made a spectacular catch, going into the stands to rob him of a home run.

Betts didn’t take any comfort in the near home run, saying, “It’s an out. It doesn’t matter if it’s a flyout, a ground out, or a strikeout. It’s an out. It’s all the same.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the weight of Betts’ struggles, telling reporters that he planned to speak with Betts before Game 3.

“I can see the – I don’t know if it’s angst or the pressure of past performances starting to kind of bleed in. That’s something that I don’t want to happen. I understand it,” Roberts said.

“I’ll have a little conversation with him. The fact is you can’t change the last ‘X’ amount of postseason games. I understand the burden a player might have. But all anyone is concerned about is right now and how to best prepare yourself mentally for tomorrow night and the first at-bat. So that’s going to be basically my message.”