Twenty-seven-year-old Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts has been showing us his best stuff on the field and at the plate throughout the COVID-19 shortened 2020 regular season. He has stolen ten bases this season and finished the regular season with a .292 batting average for the Dodgers.

It was announced by several media sources last Friday that Betts also took over first place as the number one selling MLB jersey, an honor previously held by 28-year-old New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who is now second fiddle in jersey sales to Betts after residing in the top spot for three straight years.

Betts’ number 50 is the first Dodgers jersey to top jersey sales since MLB began tracking them in 2010. Other Dodgers to crack the Top-10 in jersey sales this season are defending 2019 National League MVP Cody Bellinger (sixth) and three-time NL Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw (ninth).

There are a lot of first-timers on the 2020 list as well. San Diego Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. finished fourth on the list, and Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto fifth. Worthy of mention is Yankees ace and likely 2020 AL Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole, who ranked 19th on the list; this after signing a nine-year / $324 million deal with New York this past offseason.

Considering that Betts has only been wearing number 50 in Dodger Blue since February and later signed an enormous 12-year / $365 million contract extension on July 27 that will keep him in it until 2032, pulling off the top spot after only 60 regular-season games is quite impressive. Then again, he is a future Hall of Famer who is blessed with remarkable speed and unparalleled defensive skills; this to go along with his team-leading 16 home runs (tied with AJ Pollock), team third-best .292 batting average, team second-best 39 RBI, and team-leading 47 runs scored.

With Betts, you never know what he is going to do on any given day; but whatever it is, it will be entertaining. Betts is also an outstanding clubhouse leader and has earned the respect and admiration of everyone in the Dodgers organization.

During Saturday’s game against the Angels of Anaheim at Dodger Stadium, Betts was hit on the left hip by a pitch from Angels veteran right-hander Julio Teheran forcing him from the game. Fortunately, during his postgame Zoom press conference, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts assured the media that his superstar outfielder was okay.

“He’s fine,” said Roberts, adding that there was no need for any further tests. That being said, Betts was not in the Dodgers lineup for Sunday’s 2020 regular-season finale against the Angels.

“I expect, come Wednesday, Mookie will be ready to go,” Roberts assured the media following Sunday’s series sweep of the Angels, referring to Wednesday’s Wild Card Series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium.

Things got weird during Sunday’s Betts-less season finale. Although Dodgers utility infielder/outfielder Kiké Hernandez began the game as Betts’ replacement in right field, Dodgers right-handed reliever Adam Kolarek (yes, a pitcher) finished the game the for the final two innings of the eventual 5-0 Dodgers win over the Halos. (No balls were hit to him).

We can only hope that the injury bug is gone for good for the proud owner of MLB’s number one selling jersey.

Let’s Play Ball!