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Mookie Betts played in his first Cactus League game on Sunday, played four innings at shortstop, was 0-for-2 at the plate and scored a run against the Angels.
Betts in the first two-ish weeks of spring training got his work in on the backfields and in the batting cages, one of a few Dodgers who were slow-played this season after consecutive long postseason runs through October (and last year, one day into November).
In 2025, Betts had the worst season on offense of his Hall of Fame career, setting career lows across the board by hitting .258/.326/.406 with a 104 wRC+. His swing was out of whack at times, and his hard-hit rate fell from 39.5 percent to 35.8 percent, after six straight seasons at 41 percent or higher.
It was also his first full season at shortstop, which he was pressed into during spring training in 2024, then switched back to right field that season after returning from a broken hand. Betts also had the stomach virus that wiped him out for the Japan trip, losing 20 pounds during a short time.
Now 33 years old, Betts eyes a bounce-back season at the plate, and still occupies a premium spot in the batting order, slated to bat third between lefties Kyle Tucker and Freddie Freeman this season. The depth of the Dodgers lineup is immense, but whether the offense can potentially be the best in franchise history might depend on what they get from Betts, and whether he can recapture at least some of his previous form.
After Sunday’s game, Betts spoke with reporters about his offseason.
From Sonja Chen at MLB.com:
“Instead of just trying to fix problems,” Betts said, “I was able to go back to what I do best and really groove those patterns instead of trying to fix old patterns.”
From Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:
“I enjoyed both to be honest. I enjoy working. And I enjoy chilling. Whichever one, I was cool with either way,” Betts said of the dichotomy between his past two offseasons.
“I’ve put in so much work that, at some point, you just gotta let it do its thing. There’s only so many ground balls you can take. I think I took enough of them last year.”
Mookie Betts 2026 projections
- ZiPS: .274/.361/.468, 23 HR, 131 wRC+
- Steamer: .273/.355/.467, 22 HR, 129 wRC+
- Marcel: .273/.354/.460, 22 HR
- THE BAT: .268/.347/.455, 22 HR, 124 wRC+
- PECOTA: .268/.347/.452, 26 HR, 124 wRC+
- OOPSY: .262/.342/.437, 22 HR, 118 wRC+
Today’s question is what do you expect from Mookie Betts on offense in 2026?