Mookie Betts Reveals What Makes Him And His ‘Deep Team’ Of Dodgers So Elite

It’s not surprising that the Los Angeles Dodgers have spent the lion’s share of the nascent 2022 MLB season atop the standings of the National League West Division.

And not just because the Dodgers have three pennants in the last five years. The Dodgers still have the major pieces in place that put them in three of the last five World Series, winning it all in 2020. In addition to veterans Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger and Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers have added in recent seasons exciting players like Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner to the mix.

Then there’s MLB superstar outfielder Mookie Betts, who was part of the 2018 Boston Red Sox that bested the Dodgers that year. But the 29-year-old perennial All-Star has kept up his production at the plate, contributing well over a hundred hits last year—something Betts has done each full season since his rookie year.

After a two-month hiatus, in which I took a short break from sportswriting, I got the joy of kicking things off again by doing a short Q&A with Betts.

I asked the 2018 American League MVP about both sides of his game, what the Dodgers clubhouse is like, and what it’s like knocking shoulders with other elite pro athletes as a part of his participation as an ambassador with sports drink BodyArmor.

Andy Frye: People don’t give credit to how hard it is to win a World Series, and you’ve won two with two different ball clubs.

How hard was during your MVP year? And again as the new guy joining the Dodgers late in 2020?

Mookie Betts: It’s an incredible feeling to win the World Series – and to be able to do it twice in two different cities is great because you get to share it with so many people.

Both experiences with the Red Sox and Dodgers were so special because it’s a culmination of all the hard work that you and your teammates put in from the offseason to the start of spring training right to the end of the final series.

AF: You’re a reliable big bat, but also underrated is fielding. Do you enjoy that part of the game—making plays—as being at the plate? Elaborate on your defensive mentality.

Betts: Being able to make a big catch or defensive play during an important moment of the game is always fun and something every ballplayer thinks about. Just like hitting a big home run – making a nice play in the field and just being consistent from game to game – can make a big difference for your team over the course of the season.

AF: You joined and elite group of pros—such James Harden, Megan Rapinoe, Mike Trout—repping BodyArmor. What’s their mentality, and what’s like to be part of such a dynamic group of men and women?

Betts: I’ve been with BodyArmor for over five years now, and it’s been exciting to see firsthand how the brand continues to transform the sports drink category with innovative hydration options – like BodyArmor EDGE – that athletes like Trout, Harden, Megan (Rapinoe), and myself really want and need.

For me, it’s been a thrill to work with brand over the years on their new campaigns, including the latest “EDGE vs. Everybody” spot, which really brings to life that intense, never-satisfied mentality that BodyArmor is all about.

VIDEO: Betts riffs on golf, his Jordans and other favorite things

AF: What’s the “feel” of the clubhouse in L.A. versus Boston? Does that “laid back West Coast” vibe get set aside once the Dodgers take the field?

Betts: The environments and lifestyles might be a bit different, but ball players are very much the same and all have a similar mindset. No matter where you play or for what team, the goal is to be the best possible player and the best team you can be together. Ultimately, where ever you are, you want finish the season by taking home that World Series trophy.

AF: The Dodgers in 2022 are a team of veterans. Is there different approach or style of play when you have a successful team that’s been together for so long?

Betts: For us this year, we know how good we can be if we’re all working towards the same goal, so it’s just about continuing to prove ourselves every day.

We’re a deep team and incredibly talented team, but nobody is going to give us a break throughout the year—so it’s all about bringing the same level of consistency and intensity to each game on the schedule.