Mookie Betts pretty much just called out all of MLB at DodgerFest

DodgerFest
DodgerFest | Ronald Martinez/GettyImages

Mookie Betts is a national treasure. This weekend, as part of the DodgerFest events that took over Dodger Stadium and extended across the city of LA, Betts and his wife Brianna hosted a charity bowling event with Dodgers teammates, with proceeds benefitting Jackie Robinson's high school, John Muir, in Pasadena. Betts is a perennial All-Star, 2018 MVP, competitive bowler, and the Dodgers' No. 1 stan this offseason. The guy can do it all.

Just a few days ago, he appeared on AM 570 LA Sports and asked, somewhat exasperatedly, if other teams and their fans just expected the Dodgers to roll over and not try to win this season. He echoed sentiments from across the Dodgers' roster; Gavin Lux said this weekend that the Dodgers are embracing their villain status, saying "someone's gotta be them" (subscription required).

During an interview with SportsNet LA at DodgerFest, Betts said more of the same. In a clip that's currently incensing baseball fans everywhere, he said, "Every game is gonna be the other team's World Series."

Mookie Betts said what all MLB fans are thinking at DodgerFest

Non-Dodger fans across social media are conceding his point as being somewhat fair, but are also saying that comments like these don't age well, with some calling out his inability to perform in postseason scenarios. Betts spoke on his poor postseason showings at DodgerFest and said his goal this year is to prove he can come through in those scenarios. But he's confident about the regular season, and why shouldn't he be? The Dodgers were arguably already expected to win 100+ games, as they have over the past three seasons, and the new offseason additions only made those odds better. (Literally).

To say that the Dodgers' projected 2024 starting lineup could be its own All-Star team is not an exaggeration. Seven of nine batters have been All-Stars at least once in their career, and James Outman received Rookie of the Year votes last year. (The only exception here is Gavin Lux, batting lower in the order, who had a promising 2022 season before he got injured). Betts is only saying what all Dodgers fans are thinking, and its all the more reassuring that our probable leadoff hitter (and MVP, seven-time All-Star, six-time Gold Glover, and six-time Silver Slugger, mind you) is projecting confidence that the team has earned the right to feel this offseason.

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