'That's what I expect.' Dodgers' Mookie Betts seeks to regain his All-Star form

"That's what I expect. I haven't felt this way in a long time. So, the way I feel now, I'm healthy, my swing's in a really good spot. My head's in a really good spot. I haven't had any bad days in the cage. I haven't had any bad days [taking batting practice]. Usually by now, I would have taken a thousand swings, trying to fix stuff, trying to get game-ready, and now I'm just cruising."

"He will be in the MVP conversation this year. But again, I think, speaking for Mookie, his main goal is to help us win a championship. So, I think whatever falls out from there, I think that will happen."

"It's really just going back to what I what I do best, and really just honing in on it. Instead of trying to fix problems, I was more able to just hone in on what I do best. And kind of groove those patterns instead of trying to fix old habits."

Mookie Betts posted career lows in batting average (.258), on-base percentage (.326), and OPS (.732) during his sixth season with the Dodgers in 2024, breaking a streak of All-Star selections or MVP votes since 2015. A stomach bug caused significant weight loss that set him back in spring training, and he never recovered, batting .231 through his first 103 games. At 33 years old, Betts attributes the decline to health issues and believes he has returned to form. Manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence that Betts will be in MVP conversation this season. Betts has refocused on his core strengths rather than fixing problems, describing the difficult season as valuable self-discovery.

Read at Los Angeles Times