Any bets on who the best player in Major League Baseball is right now?

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“The boy said my name’s Johnny Mookie
And it might be a sin
But I’ll take your bet
And you’re gonna regret
‘Cause I’m the best there’s ever been.”

(The Charlie Daniels Band)

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On Tuesday night in front of a sold out Dodger Stadium crowd of 52,718, Dodgers superstar and future first-ballot Hall of Famer Mookie Betts had the third five-hit game of his 11-year MLB career and the first in Major League Baseball this season.

“I mean, I don’t know, just get a good pitch to hit and get a swing off,” the extremely popular (and extremely humble) Dodgers superstar utility infielder/outfielder told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson, when she asked him what was going through his mind during his remarkable and historic night. “So, I’m just glad I was able to help the team win.”

Win they did, besting the Washington National by a score of 6-2, which included two doubles, three singles, two runs scored, two RBIs and seven total bases for the Nashville, TN native and fifth-round draft pick in 2011 by the Boston Red Sox out of Overton High School in Nashville.

“I think the thing that stands out most is his plate discipline,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame of Betts’ remarkable night. “You know, he just is not chasing, he really is really controlling the strike zone. Even to be able to get a hit the other way, he’s using the big part of the field. And so, I think, for me, it’s… yeah, he’s obviously locked in, but he’s just controlling the zone.”

Betts also had a five-hit night as a Dodger on August 23, 2023.

“Mookie’s got a week’s worth of hits tonight,” Dodgers broadcaster Tim Neverett said during the AM 570 radio broadcast of Betts’ historic night.

Through their first 20 games, the Dodgers have scored 106 runs, of which Betts has either driven in or scored 37.7% of them.

But wait, there’s more!

Tuesday’s game also saw the Major League debut of highly touted Dodgers outfield prospect Andy Pages, who singled to right on the very first Major League pitch he saw from Nationals two-time All-Star left-hander Patrick Corbin. Pages would come around to score the Dodgers second run on a single to center by Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes following a one-out walk of Dodgers third baseman Miguel Rojas by Corbin – and yes, Pages kept the ball.

With each successful game by Betts, you can bet ‘a fiddle of gold’ that Red Sox fans are seething over this:

Transactions

February 10, 2020: Traded by the Boston Red Sox with David Price and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jeter Downs, Alex Verdugo, and Connor Wong

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’cause he’s “the best there’s ever been.”

Play Ball!

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