Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a season series sweep of the Washington Nationals on Sunday, thanks in large part to Mookie Betts’ late-game heroics.
With the Dodgers trailing in the bottom of the eighth inning, Betts hit a go-ahead three-run homer to put them on top for good. He also drove in the team’s first run of the game with an RBI groundout and finished 1-for-5.
Betts has been one of the Dodgers’ hottest hitters over the last month and believes his swing is in a good spot.
“I think so. I think so,” Betts said when asked if he has found something with his swing. “I’ve been able to put good at-bats together, hit the ball hard consistently, and just got to keep on going.
“Keep on going, and just stay in the moment. That’s the main thing. Don’t let prior at-bats dictate what’s going on right now, and don’t think about the future.”
It’s no secret that Betts has struggled offensively for the better part of the last two seasons. But rather than dwell on the past, Betts is taking things one at-bat at a time.
“Just try to do my best to stay in the moment. That’s really it,” Betts explained. “I mean, I think the last couple years kind of showed me really just to stay in the moment. Don’t let prior things carry over into now, and try not to let the prior things dictate your future.
“Really just stay in the moment, be present, and you never know what’s going to happen. You never know. I know it’s easier said than done, but you never know. So just stay confident in the moment.”
Betts is hitting just .246/.308/.423 with 19 doubles, 18 home runs and 58 RBI in 106 games this season. But his season has been a tale of two halves as the 33-year-old is batting an excellent .307/.378/.509 with 13 extra-base hits and 22 RBI over his last 29 games dating back to Aug. 5.
Dave Roberts praises Mookie Betts
For the second consecutive year, Betts has flipped a switch offensively in the final weeks of the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts attributed the turnaround to the eight-time All-Star forgetting about his individual numbers and simply doing whatever he can to help the Dodgers win games.
“I guess one thought is, in the early part of the season, he’s trying to build a season, and it’s ups and downs of the season,” Roberts began. “And I think at some point, he just puts that to the side and just focuses on helping the team win. Not to say that he’s not trying to help the team win early on, but I think that in his eyes, the season’s lost, as far as the stats.
“So now in a weird way, it takes the pressure off trying to have a great season. So to end this year, a little bit more focused on each game frees him up a little bit.”
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