Dodgers: Mookie Betts buys groceries for Tennessee shoppers

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts surprised shoppers in his hometown of Nashville by picking up their grocery tab.

Newly acquired Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts hasn’t been able to make his Hollywood debut this season, but he had a star performance at a Tennessee grocery store this week.

Betts surprised shoppers at the Kroger in Bordeaux, Tennessee by purchasing their groceries, according to Chris Harris of WSMV. He also bought pizzas for the store’s workers as a thank you for their hard work during these incredibly challenging times working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2018 American League MVP and Nashville native began his baseball journey at Overton High School, a short drive from the Kroger store where he made his gracious donation.

Betts told Fox 17 he wanted to help the community that was recently devastated by tornadoes in March, on top of the current struggle against the spread of COVID-19.

The four-time Gold Glove winning outfielder was traded to the Dodgers after the Red Sox determined it would be too risky to keep him on their roster with the prospect that he would leave for a lucrative free agent offer next offseason that, at the time, was expected to soar over $400 million.

Given the current economic conditions in the wake of the pandemic, it seems unlikely the free agent market will generate the same type of offer Betts would have received under normal conditions.

It will be interesting to see how that impacts the Dodgers’ ability to retain Betts on a long-term deal, given they traded a young outfielder in Alex Verdugo and two prospects to acquire him, and risk losing him without the benefit of him playing a game for them, if the 2020 season is ultimately canceled.

All of that aside, it was great to see Betts put smiles on people’s faces in his hometown.