Mookie Betts’ bat has come roaring back at exactly the right time for the Dodgers.
After a brutal start to 2026, the eight-time All-Star has spent the stretch since August 17 looking like one of the best hitters in baseball. From that point on, he leads Los Angeles in batting line (.336/.427/.611), wRC+ (183), home runs (seven), RBI (27), and fWAR (2.0). That surge has come while the Dodgers have received only 71 plate appearances from Shohei Ohtani, along with a 101 wRC+.
Betts won’t be mistaken for some hidden gem. His MVP resume and three World Series rings already make that impossible. But after last year’s rough season and an even uglier opening to 2026, the fact that he’s healthy and producing at this level again could end up being the difference in Los Angeles’ push for a three-peat.
The Dodgers have still been piling up offense without needing Betts to carry everything. Since mid-August, they rank third in the league in runs scored.
The lineup has plenty of depth, and Kyle Tucker has finally started to look like he’s pulling his weight. Teoscar Hernández has also been hot.
Still, Betts is a different kind of boost. He’s the fourth-longest tenured player on the roster, behind only Max Muncy and Will Smith among position players. He’s been part of all three recent championships, and across those playoff runs he has put together a cumulative OPS above .800.
There’s also the simple fact that Betts changes the tone of the lineup. He’s the kind of star who fits the “you go, we go” mold, and Dave Roberts has put him back where he belongs at the top of the order as the leadoff hitter. With Ohtani eventually returning, Betts’ all-around game only makes the lineup longer and tougher to navigate.
The comeback isn’t spotless. Even during this heater, Betts’ hard-hit rate is still below the numbers he posted in his prime, and too many of his balls are still ending up on the ground. His underlying numbers are also not as strong as the surface stats, with a .611 slugging percentage against a .458 xSLG and a .443 wOBA compared with a .374 xwOBA.
But even with those gaps, the larger point is hard to miss: this version of Betts is a whole lot better than the one the Dodgers were getting earlier in the year. He may not keep this MVP-level run rolling all the way through October, but he has clearly found a steadier baseline, and that alone gives Los Angeles a better shot at winning again.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Got An October Boost Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Dodgers got a familiar September jolt with two important reinforcements coming off the injured list as the club heads into the final week of the regular season. Dave Roberts said right-hander Tyler Glasnow is healthy and ready to help when October arrives, a welcome development for a team that has spent much of the year trying to keep its pitching group intact for the stretch run.
Los Angeles also had to make room on the roster by sending two players back down, another reminder of how quickly the picture can change at this time of year. Beyond the immediate playoff implications, there is already some offseason intrigue swirling around the Dodgers, with ESPNs Jeff Passan reporting that pitcher Tarik Skubal could be in line for a massive free-agent deal this winter, a detail that will only add to the teams long-term planning conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Fans Just Got A New Reason To Watch Tarik Skubal
Tarik Skubal showed up at SoFi Stadium on Monday night with another Dodgers star in tow, as he and Mookie Betts took in the Rams-Giants matchup. Skubal was down at field level while Betts watched from a suite that also included Myles Garrett and Aaron Donalds wife, a small but notable reminder that the Dodgers biggest names do not exactly disappear when the baseball schedule pauses.
For Los Angeles, Skubals appearance comes at an interesting moment. He was recently placed on the Dodgers bereavement list and is currently expected to start the final regular-season game, though that could still change. Even with the season winding down, the Dodgers are keeping an eye on anything that might affect the rotation, and a night out around the NFL only added another layer to the intrigue around Skubals week. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Letting Ryan Ward Go Took An Unexpected Turn
Ryan Wards exit from the Dodgers organization moved quickly. Just six days after being designated for assignment, he agreed to a contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball, ending a run that had kept him in the Dodgers system for his entire professional career. It was a familiar kind of roster churn for this time of year, but the destination made the move stand out.
For the Dodgers, Wards recent minor league production had already made his standing uncertain, and the roster rules created an unusual layer to his departure. He was only eligible to play for the Dodgers in the 2026 postseason, which meant Los Angeles still had some control over his future in a narrow sense, even as the organization opened the door for him to continue his career abroad. [Read more 🡒]