Red Sox star Mookie Betts is leading in a ton of offensive categories at the moment. Just look at this. He’s got batting average, home runs, runs, OBP, SLG, and OPS all locked down. The home run race (as much as there can truly be a “race” while we’re still in May) is a tight one but this is impressive nonetheless.
Mookie Betts wants no part of the home run derby
His answer to whether he’d participate was as direct as possible.
Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images
And Betts would like to keep it that way, preferably. One way he plans on doing that is not taking part in this year’s home run derby during All-Star Weekend.
When asked if he had any interest in participating, his answer was as direct as possible: “Hell no.” His reasoning was that he doesn’t hit home runs in batting practice, but there could be something else factoring in here as well.
Namely, that his production could fall off in the second half of the season if he throws anything off by hitting a whole bunch of dingers for fan entertainment.
Bobby Abreu had a notoriously significant drop off in production after the 2005 home run derby, Alex Rodriguez stayed away from it throughout his career, and you only have to look as recently as last year to see someone like Aaron Judge suffer a slump after participating. Whether there was a connection or not, it’s something players thing about.
That’s probably not the case here. Betts seems to just know he won’t be on the same level of some other players who are able to hit home runs more easily during batting practice as opposed to a game situation. But also, if you’re not going to win why risk losing your touch in other areas just to go, participate, and lose?
Bett’s teammate J.D. Martinez isn’t participating after being passed over in 2015, and Aaron Judge won’t be back to defend his title either.
They’ll just have to stick with the home run derby they’ve been putting on for fans all season. Someone else can pick up the dinger mantle during ASG Weekend.
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