Los Angeles Dodgers Second Baseman Mookie Betts made history last night. He became one of only eight players in league history with six or more Gold Glove Awards and six or more Silver Slugger Awards. He joins a list that contains some of the best players in MLB history including Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. Betts has been one of the sport’s best players since he debuted with the Boston Red Sox in 2014.
Betts won the Silver Slugger in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. He was a Gold Glover in 2016-2020, and 2022. Unfortunately for Betts, he was not able to add to his Gold Glove tally as he was not named a finalist for the award this season. Will the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be a championship contender with Betts being one of the team leaders?
Mookie Betts Career Summary
Betts was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February of 2020. It has been a tale of two teams since this blockbuster trade took place. Betts has won two World Series championships in Los Angeles(2020, 2024) while Boston has made the MLB Playoffs only once in the five years they have been without Betts. Betts also won the 2019 World Series with Boston. He has continued to solidify his Hall of Fame candidacy as a member of the Dodgers. Betts is 15th among active players in hits, fifth in WAR(Wins Above Replacement), fifth in batting average, and ninth in doubles. He is a career .294 hitter with 271 home runs and 831 RBI.
Los Angeles Dodgers Rack Up Accolades
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are weeks removed from winning the 2024 World Series in five games over the New York Yankees. Los Angeles was great during the regular season and the postseason and it culminated in them racking up countless awards during the offseason. The Dodgers made history on Tuesday by having three players win Silver Slugger Awards. Betts won at second base, Shohei Ohtani won as Designated Hitter, and Teoscar Hernandez won in the outfield.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were also honored as a whole for their team performance at the plate. They were named the 2024 Silver Slugger National League Offensive Team of the Year. Los Angeles is well-deserving of this award as their offense sent shivers down the spines of the opposition all season. Los Angeles was fourth in batting average during the regular season, third in home runs, and second in runs scored. They also scored nearly 30 more runs than the Yankees in the postseason and were second in Slugging Percentage and OPS.
Final Thoughts
Betts continues to illustrate that he is one of the best players in Major League Baseball. His seventh Silver Slugger Award put him in rarefied air. He is the heartbeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and as long as he continues playing at such a high level, the Dodgers will be World Series contenders. The dynamic trio of Betts, Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman means the team will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in 2025 and beyond.
LA’s accolades will not end as Ohtani is nearly assured of winning his third career MVP and his first in the National League. The award will be announced next Thursday and will be the final award handed out this year. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the makings of a dynasty and Betts will be an integral part of that. Tuesday night was a historic one for Betts as the perennial all-star continues to add to his jam-packed trophy case.
