Mookie Betts: ‘I thought I was gonna be a Red Sox for life’
98.5 The Sports Hub staff report
Sitting down with David Ortiz for a one-on-one interview, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, a win away from a World Series title with L.A., admitted that he didn’t see himself playing anywhere but Boston.
“I had initially thought that I was gonna be a Red Sox for life,” Betts told Ortiz. “But, you know what, God always has a plan for things. So I was just following what he was telling me to do.”
Betts’ comments are certainly intriguing, as there’s been multiple stories indicating that either a) Betts was not interested in signing an extension with the Red Sox or b) that Boston’s offer was nine figures off from Betts’ demands. Ultimately, the Sox did not feel comfortable about their chances of re-signing Betts, and opted to sell while they could, and in a year headlined by massive financial losses in both Boston and around the MLB as a whole.
So, instead of being a Red Sock for life, Betts was traded from Boston to Los Angeles in a contract year, and later signed a 12-year, $365 million extension with the Dodgers. Betts has adapted to Cali just fine, too, with an MVP-caliber 2020 campaign that featured 16 homers (third-most in the National League), 39 RBIs (12th-most), and 47 runs (fourth-most) in 55 games.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already dubbed the trade “a steal.”
And that steal could become official with Betts focused on what it means if the Dodgers, currently up 3-2 in their final round series with the Tampa Bay Rays, can close the deal on their first title since 1988.
“Everything,” Betts said when asked what it’d mean to win a championship with the Dodgers. “Winning your first [World Series] is like the best thing ever. The trade happened [and] the reason for bringing me here was to help put us over the edge. And if I’m able to help do that, it’s like I conquered my goals. I had this goal, I came here, and I did it.
“I’d feel amazing about bringing a ring back to LA.”
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