(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Mookie Betts is not only carrying the Los Angeles Dodgers to another NL West title, but he is making sure to solidify his NL MVP bid every time he steps to the plate.
The Dodgers have an 80-49 record and are just four games behind the best team in the league (the Atlanta Braves), and it’s in large part because of Betts’ contributions.
We will get to his full-season body of work in a while, but first, let’s focus on what he has done in his last 50 games.
“Top 50-game batting averages so far in 2023 (150+ plate appearances): Mookie Betts, .400 (slugged .769) <– last 50 games; Luis Arráez, .399 (slugged .492),” Codify Baseball tweeted.
Top 50-game batting averages so far in 2023
(150+ plate appearances):
Mookie Betts, .400 (slugged .769) <– last 50 games
Luis Arráez, .399 (slugged .492) pic.twitter.com/ynY0oiND4S
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 28, 2023
Wow.
Much was discussed about Luis Arraez to open the season, as he was making a legitimate bid at a .400 batting average.
Over a 50-game sample, he hit .399 and slugged .492.
Betts, over his last 50 contests, has yielded a similar batting average to that of Arraez: .400.
The difference in slugging percentage, however, is enormous: Betts is slugging .769 over that span.
It’s hard enough to collect enough hits to reach a .400 batting average over a 50-game sample.
It’s even more challenging doing it while also hitting for serious, game-changing power.
That’s what Betts has been doing.
For the 2023 campaign as a whole he is slashing a cool .315/.407/.611 with 35 round-trippers (tied for his career-high), 93 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and a 1.018 OPS.
Those are MVP-worthy numbers.
There are four players in contention for the award at this point: Betts, his teammate Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Matt Olson.
The rest of the season will determine who takes home the prestigious award.
Betts, however, might be the hottest of them all.
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