The Los Angeles Dodgers have a chance to make history this weekend. A star-studded team viewed by many as unfairly good is looking to win back-to-back World Series for the first time since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000.
Entering the Fall Classic, it felt very likely it would be the case. It felt even more likely after Monday night’s Game 3 marathon, which saw the Dodgers prevail 6-5 in 18 innings thanks to a Freddie Freeman walk-off home run.
However, an exhausted Toronto Blue Jays team demonstrated the same resilience they’ve shown all year, coming back to handily win Game 4, 6-2, on the road at Dodger Stadium. It was an impressive performance by Canada’s team, but at the same time, a disappointing effort from the home team.
Los Angeles’ struggles throughout its lineup had been somewhat masked by the unbelievable play of starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani carrying it to wins in Games 2 and 3. However, with the series all squared up again, the pressure now shifts back onto the Dodgers and particularly one of their slumping superstars, Mookie Betts.
Mookie Betts’ rough October
Mookie Betts’ struggles throughout the regular season were well-documented, as the 33-year-old put forth the worst batting average (.258) and OPS (.732) of his legendary career thus far. Those final numbers greatly benefited from his red-hot September to finish the campaign, so he salvaged what could have been an even worse stat line.
Given that momentum to end the season, you had to think Betts would hit the ground running in the postseason. While he shredded the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round, it’s been ugly ever since.
Betts had a whopping six hits, including three doubles, and three RBI in the two-game wild-card series. Yet in the 12 games that have followed, he’s gone 9-for-51, mustering up just one extra base hit and three RBI, two of which came via bases-loaded walks.
It hasn’t mattered thanks to the brilliance of Ohtani and the starting rotation, but the Blue Jays have gotten to the starters, unlike anyone in baseball. After Game 3, they are not going to let Ohtani single-handedly beat them anymore.
Because of that, the onus then falls onto the other superstar bats the Dodgers have. So far, it just hasn’t been close to good enough for Betts. His World Series has been particularly rough, looking lost at the dish and overmatched in far too many of his plate appearances.