Dodgers: Why Mookie Betts is more valuable over a shortened season

3) Dodgers still gain inside track at re-signing Mookie Betts

This is the most difficult factor to evaluate from afar, but an important one to consider in weighing whether it was worthwhile for the Dodgers to acquire Mookie Betts one season before he hits free agency.

Do the Dodgers gain an inside track at re-signing Mookie Betts long-term by having him part of their organization in the months leading up to the offseason?

I think they do.

Betts gets to learn how the franchise operates, from top to bottom. The Dodgers are considered “the model” in player development. They have a team stacked with talent to compete in the near-term, on top of a farm system that should keep them competitive for years to come.

If Betts wants to remain on a competitive team, surely his short time with the Dodgers will highlight how the organization positions itself as an elite club in the major leagues.

The Nashville native also gains an opportunity to learn about the local community, albeit in a more limited fashion due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most players, across all sports, find it difficult to leave the sunshine of Los Angeles, once they arrive. That’s why many professional athletes make Southern California their offseason home.

The pandemic has changed the economic landscape across the globe, and Major League Baseball is not an exception to that. Some believe Betts could have lost over $150 million on a long-term contract because of impacted revenues.

It’s possible the superstar outfielder decides to sign a short-term deal to bridge his time to when the market recovers. It would make the most sense for him to do that with his host team, rather than signing with a new club where he would need to adjust to everything that comes with moving again.