Dodgers' Mookie Betts made Angels pay after disrespectful Shohei Ohtani walk

Los Angeles Dodgers v Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers v Los Angeles Angels | Meg Oliphant/GettyImages

Roansy Contreras just became the latest victim of the LA Dodgers' MVP brigade. On Tuesday night, the Angels' reliever entered a nightmare situation that every pitcher in Major League Baseball prays to avoid: Facing Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman in a high-leverage situation.

In the top of the 10th inning, all tied at two, Contreras had already allowed a run thanks to a Miguel Rojas RBI single. Now trailing by a run, all he could hope to do was place a lid on the damage.

The Angels thought that intentionally walking Ohtani would be the best route to avoid any more runs scored. Ohtani's former team starved him of the opportunity to inflict some real pain, which gave Betts the chance to satisfy Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers.

With two outs and two runners aboard, Contreras made the ungodly mistake of hanging a slider to Betts. The 2018 AL MVP mashed a three-run home run 421 feet to the bullpen in left field, stamping a Dodgers 6-2 lead. The round-tripper was Betts' 15th of the season, which caused Contreras to scream into his glove as Ohtani happily crossed home plate.

Dodgers' Mookie Betts delivered after being disrespected with intentional walk

In the postgame interview on the field, Betts shrugged at the Angels' decision to walk Ohtani and add another runner on the bases for him.

"They walked Sho to get to me and I was just like 'Alright, if that's what you want'," Betts told SportsNet LA.

Betts has been locked in as of late,coming off a sizzling series against Arizona where he drove in five runs to take three of the four games in the matchup.

Angels manager Ron Washington knew it was a lose-lose situation, regardless of who they elected to pitch to in extra innings.

"You pick your poison when you're dealing with the first three hitters. I wasn't going to let Ohtani swing there," Washington said in the postgame presser on Bally Sports West. "I have all the respect in the world for Mookie Betts, but I was hoping that Contreras could pitch a ground ball and get us a double play."

Ohtani was welcomed back to Angel Stadium with a standing ovation before logging his first at-bat. The club also created a graphic highlighting his accomplishments, as a team would for their own players.

Although it's hard to forget Ohtani's talent, you cannot overlook what Mookie Betts is capable of, either. The Halos made that mistake, and they probably won't do that again.

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