Mookie Betts is in unfamiliar territory this season as he navigates his worst offensive year. The Los Angeles Dodgers star is slashing .241/.311/.365 in 113 games thus far.
“Going through this year and looking up and seeing that you’re nowhere near on track for your goal, it’s disheartening,” Betts said recently on Yahoo Sports’ “Baseball Bar-B-Cast” podcast.
“I look up and I see .230, and that’s hard. It really is hard. I’ve never had to do that,” he later added. “I’m going through stuff now that I’ve never had to go through in my entire life. Like, ever. So I don’t know how to get out of this.”
It’s been a trying season for Betts that has included illness and injury. The three-time World Series champion missed both of Los Angeles’ games in Tokyo with a mystery illness that caused him to lose 25 pounds. He also broke his toe in July.
Despite going hitless in his last two games, Betts had at least one hit in his previous eight before that — including five multi-hit games
While seeing his numbers this season is difficult, the former Boston Red Sox outfielder is still finding ways to help the Dodgers.
“The only thing I can control is really just trying to help the guys win every day,” Betts said. “And if I can do that, then at least I can go to sleep at night.”
Going into Sunday’s game with the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers sit atop the National League West standings with a 70-53 record and one game ahead of the Padres.
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