Jul 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) during the All-Star Home Run Derby at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: All Star-Home Run Derby
(Seattle, Washington) — There is an explanation for Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts’ Home Run Derby flop.
“It sounds crazy,” Betts said with a laugh. “But I just don’t know how to do it.”
Betts only hit 11 home runs in what was his first (and probably last) derby. That was six fewer than any other competitor in this year’s contest.
“Twenty-six was reachable,” Betts said. “But, it’s reachable for someone who knows how to hit home runs.”
Betts entered the all-star break with the third most home runs in the league, and 239 career homers, which ranks 13th since his debut in 2014.
“I went through like three different swings in the middle of it,” Betts said. “I was trying. But I just kept hitting line drives.”
Only two of Betts’ first 12 swings cleared the left field wall. The next four were a row out and the rest was (bad) history.
“I knew it was over,” Betts said. “I couldn’t get it up in the air.”
Betts, emphatically stated that he had no interest in competing in the Derby, and only took because his wife, Brianna.
“She was like, ‘You’ve done everything you’ve wanted in baseball,'” Betts recalled. “‘The only thing you’ve never done is the Derby.'”
“Let’s be real,” he said, “I’m not a power guy. Do I have some home runs? Sure.” “Yeah,” he said, “but they all go 382 feet.”
Baseball-Reference.com lists Betts at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. Based on the site’s unofficial measurements, nobody has ever competed in the Derby at 5-9 or shorter and 180 pounds or lighter.
