2026 looked to be a lost season for Mookie Betts, as an oblique injury cost him a month’s worth of time. At the All-Star break, the Dodgers shortstop was limping to the tune of a .235/.293/.416 slashline with 11 home runs and 31 RBI over 60 games.
Since the second half of the regular season began, Betts has turned into his 2023 MVP-runner-up self, as he’s slashing .290/.364/.452 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI over his last 56 games. Betts has been on a tear his last three games, as he’s hitting .833 with five extra-base hits and five RBI, highlighted by a four-hit, three-double game on Saturday in the Dodgers’ 10-4 win over the San Francisco Giants.
Betts has hit all around the lineup, going from as high as leadoff to as low as the six hole, but Betts has been certifying himself as a force at the top of the lineup during this final homestand. Betts spoke with David Vassegh of SportsNet LA about his torrid stretch at the plate hitting at the top spot following Saturday’s win, noting that the return of Shohei Ohtani will directly impact where he hits everyday.
“It’s fun. Like you said, I’ve done it for so long, but that man Shohei— he deserves what he gets. We all know where he needs to hit in the lineup.”
Saturday was a rough outing for left-hander Tarik Skubal as he allowed four earned runs while striking out a season-low three hitters over five innings.
Despite the atypical night for Skubal, his offense was able to generate six runs after his final pitch, giving him his fourth win as a Dodger. When speaking with Vassegh following the game, Skubal gave all the credit to the offense and bullpen for carrying the team the rest of the way.
“Obviously, I wasn’t very good today. The offense, defense and bullpen picked me up big time, and that’s what good teams do— they pick each other up, and win series and win baseball games. Hats off to them.”
Mirjam Swanson at the Los Angeles Times writes about Tyler Glasnow and the ability to trust himself as the playoffs loom near. Glasnow was solid on Friday against San Francisco, allowing just two runs while striking out 10 hitters.
“Today was a step in the right direction,” said Glasnow, the formerHart High star, before leaving the clubhouse in flip-flops. “I’d rather kind of feel it, work through some stuff, and have a good one right before playoffs.
“I think I’m in a good spot right now.”
Jack Harris of the California Post has a positive update regarding Shohei Ohtani, as the two-way superstar did base running drills and used the Trajekt Ark pitching machine in the cage. Hitting coach Aaron Bates notes that Ohtani has been really good with the machine, and the next test will be how he performs in live batting practice.
“In the cage, in a controlled setting, he’s been really good. It’s 100% intensity,” Bates said. “Once he gets out to the field, if he does a live BP or something like that, and the intensity ramps up, it’ll be a good test to see what happens. But in the cage, in the controlled setting, he’s been really good.”
Read the full article here